2014 Update on National Alzheimer’s Disease Plan

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease: 2014 Update, a plan detailing goals in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research, therapy, and education.

Written in response to the 2011 National Alzheimer’s Project Act, the 2014 Plan highlights five major goals in the fight against dementia:

• Finding ways to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025
• Enhancing care for Alzheimer’s patients
• Expanding support for people with dementia and their families
• Improving public awareness
• Carefully tracking data

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The updated guideline lists numerous highlights during the past year in AD research and advocacy. Some achievements include: identification of 11 Alzheimer’s risk genes, training and support for >23,000 health care providers on dementia, a nearly 14% reduction in inappropriate antipsychotic use in long-stay nursing home residents with dementia, and state funding for developing dementia-capable long-term services and support systems.

Finally, the 2014 Plan identifies action steps led by the HHS to improve research, treatment, and prevention of AD:

• Accelerate efforts to identify the earliest stages of AD
• Increase collaboration in science, data sharing, and priority setting among AD experts, health care providers, and caregivers
• Strengthen dementia-care guidelines and quality measures
• Provide help to health care providers on addressing ethical considerations related to care of people with dementia
• Enhance support for global collaboration on dementia through a follow-up meeting to the December 2013 G8 Summit on Dementia

For more information visit Alzheimers.gov.