>> THE ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION
IS OUT WITH ITS ANNUAL REPORT
THAT PUTS THE DISEASE AND ITS
NUMBERS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.
FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE REPORT
INCLUDES A SPECIAL FOCUS ON THE
DEMENTIA WORKFORCE, AND IT
UNCOVERED AN ALARMING TREND IN
INDIANA. BUSINESS OF HEALTH
REPORTER KYLIE VELETA HAS MORE
>
SOME 110-THOUSAND HOOSIERS ARE
LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER'S, AND THE
PREVALENCE OF THE DISEASE GROWS
EACH YEAR BUT THE REPORT
HIGHLIGHTED JUST HOW WIDE AND
DEEP THE GAP IS IN CARE FOR
THESE PEOPLE.
THE REPORT SHOWED THERE ARE
CURRENTLY ONLY 66 GERIATRICIANS
IN THE STATE THAT'S LESS THAN 1
GERIATRICIAN PER COUNTY. INDIANA
WILL NEED A MORE THAN 300
PERCENT INCREASE TO CLOSE THE
GP IN THESE SPECIALISTS IN THE
COMING YEARS.
JOINING ME NOW TO TELL US MORE
ABOUT WHAT THE REPORT UNCOVERED
IS LAURA FORBES, COMMUNICATIONS
DIRECTOR AT THE ALZHEIMER'S
ASSOCIATION GREATER INDIANA
CHAPTER.
THANKS FOR BEING ON THE SHOW
TODAY.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> WE TALKED ABOUT THE SHORTAGE.
TELL US ABOUT THE SHORTAGES
FOUND IN THIS REPORT AND OTHER
PARTS OF THE WORKFORCE.
>> ONE OTHER AREA IS HOME HEALTH
AIDES.
WE'RE GOING TO NEED A MORE THAN
37% INCREASE BY THE YEAR 2028.
NOT VERY FAR AWAY.
AND MORE AND MORE HOOSIERS, MORE
AMERICANS, ARE CHOOSING HOME
HEALTH AIDES TO HELP WITH THEIR
CARE WHEN THEY HAVE DEMENTIA, A
GREAT NEED, AS WELL.
>> IT COVERED THIS INTERESTING
CONTRAST BETWEEN HOOSIERS LIVING
IN THE RURAL PART OF THE STATE
AND THOSE IN CITIES.
EXPLAIN THAT.
>> UNFORTUNATELY, THERE ARE A
NUMBER OF HEALTH DISPARITIES
WHEN IT COMES TO DEMENTIA CARE,
AND THIS IS ONE OF THEM.
SO THE REPORT FOUND THAT MOST
PHYSICIANS OVERALL PRIMARY CARE
PHYSICIANS SAY THEY DON'T HAVE
ENOUGH SPECIALISTS IN THEIR
AREA, MORE PRONOUNCED IN RURAL
AREAS.
>> YOU MENTIONED HOME HEALTH
AIDES.
THERE WAS A BILL PASSED, THE
GOVERNOR SIGNED DAYS AGO.
WHAT IS THE BILL?
>> IT IS A BIG VICTORY FOR US
AND FAMILIES FACING DEMENTIA.
SO FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS BILL,
THIS LAW, ESTABLISHES DEMENTIA
TRAINING STANDARDS FOR HOME
HEALTH AIDES.
SO WE'RE REALLY HOPEFUL THAT
THIS WILL HELP IMPROVE CARE FOR
THOSE PATIENTS FIRST AND
FOREMOST, BUT ALSO WE KNOW THAT
HAVING THAT DEMENTIA TRAINING
REALLY HELPS TO REDUCE BURNOUT
IN THOSE INDUSTRIES, IT IS
REALLY A WIN/WIN.
>> SO THE PRESENCE OF
ALZHEIMER'S GROWS EACH YEAR.
THE NEED FOR CARE GROWS EACH
YEAR, NO CURE.
SO IT FEELS LIKE A HOPELESS
SITUATION.
SO WHAT IS THE SILVER LINING?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
SO THE REPORT DID FIND SOME GOOD
NEWS IN THAT AREA.
IT FOUND THAT MOST AMERICANS AND
MOST PHYSICIANS ARE REALLY
HOPEFUL WHEN IT COMES TO FUTURE
TREATMENTS FOR ALZHEIMER'S AND
OTHER FORMS OF DEMENTIA.
THERE IS REALLY GOOD REASON FOR
THAT.
SO LAST YEAR WE HAD THE FIRST
DRUG APPROVED THAT TREATS THE
DISEASE ITSELF AND NOT JUST THE
SYMPTOMS.
SO IT WAS A HUGE MILESTONE.
THERE ARE MORE THAN 100 OTHER
DISEASE-MODIFYING TREATMENTS
THAT ARE IN VARIOUS STAGES OF
CLINICAL TRIALS AND IN THE
APPROVAL PROCESS.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF REASON TO BE
HOPEFUL WHEN IT COMES TO THAT.
AND IN THE MEANTIME THE
ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION IS HERE
TO HELP PEOPLE FACING THE
DISEASE.
WE HAVE SERVICES AVAILABLE 24/7
FREE OF CHARGE.
THAT'S THE OTHER PIECE OF GOOD
NEWS.
>> SCHOOL OF MEDICINE LEADING
THE CHARGE IN SOME OF THOSE
ALZHEIMER'S PROGRESS AND
TREATMENTS.
WE HEAR ABOUT HEALTHCARE
BURNOUT, HOME HEALTH AIDES HAVE
A HIGH TURNOVER RATE.
A GREAT RESIGNATION GOING ON,
CHALLENGES, HOW DO YOU SURMOUNT
THAT AND STILL GROW THE
WORKFORCE?
>> IT IS GOING TO TAKE A NUMBER
OF APPROACHES.
CERTAINLY MORE PUBLIC POLICY.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR
PUBLIC POLICY CHANGES THAT WILL
HELP ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE
ISSUES.
AND WE ALSO NEED TO THINK ABOUT
HOW IN THE ABSENCE OF SOME OF
THESE SPECIALISTS, WE CAN ENSURE
PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS ARE
PREPARED TO DISCUSS THE SIGNS
AND SYMPTOMS WITH THEIR
PATIENTS, PERFORM COGNITIVE
TESTS AND MAKE THOSE DIAGNOSIS
AS WELL.