Support our Nation’s Dementia Caregivers!

November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month. As a volunteer advocate with the Alzheimer’s Association, I’ve made it my personal mission to be a voice for those in my community impacted by Alzheimer’s and dementia.

It’s no secret that Alzheimer’s is a devastating disease – but it also upends the lives of the 11 million family members and friends serving as caregivers (including nearly 200,000 in Kentucky). In 2020, our nation’s dementia caregivers provided an estimated 15.3 billion hours of unpaid care - a contribution to the nation valued at $257 billion. And these statistics can’t reflect the daily emotional, physical and financial strain on each individual caregiver.

I personally understand the challenges Kentucky caregivers face daily. As the daughter of a caregiver, I have witnessed the sacrifices made by my father to care for his parents suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The physical and emotional toll of this role is not only draining for him, but for my entire immediate family.

This November and moving forward, I am humbly requesting Congress to do more to support our nation’s dementia caregivers. I ask that my U.S. Senators, Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell and Congressman Andy Barr pass the Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Act (S. 56 / H.R. 1474), which will provide relief to caregivers, and support increases in Alzheimer’s and dementia research funding to eradicate this disease that has greatly impacted caregivers’ lives.

Please join me in asking Senators Paul and McConnell and Representative Barr to make sure our caregivers can continue to care for their loved ones - and equally important, themselves!