Bay Area Residents Weigh In On Massive National Alzheimer's Plan
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – The Bay Area is doing its part to shape the National Plan on Alzheimer's, a law signed by President Barack Obama in January mandating the country create a strategic plan to address the rapidly escalating disease.
More than 250 people gave representatives from the administration and Health and Human Services their opinions on what the plan should include at an input session held in a San Francisco hotel.
The Wednesday afternoon session was among 100 scheduled throughout the country, and the only one on the West Coast with members of the Obama administration in attendance.
KCBS' Anna Duckworth Reports:
Family members, caregivers, doctors and people diagnosed with Alzheimer's talked about how they think the country can better handle the disease, suggesting mandatory testing, and closer screening for caretakers.
UCSF neurologist Adam Boxer said that physician training and caregiver funding is needed because new diagnostic tests and hope for successful treatments are just around the corner. He said that without them, the developments could result in exacerbating exploding health care costs.
"The reason that's true is because there are companies that will promote the use of these expensive tests and technologies by people who aren't qualified to use them, and this will further burden the system," said Boxer.
The input sessions are being held throughout the country through the entire month.
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