House Bill 23 Proponent Testimony — Trey Addison, Alzheimer's Association (2/17/2021)

Summary

Proponent testimony on House Bill 23 from Trey Addison, Director of Public Policy for the Alzheimer's Association, dated 2/17/2021 and addressed to the House Commerce and Labor Committee. Addison states that the association advocates for an estimated 220,000 people living with Alzheimer's disease and dementia and their 600,000 family caregivers in Ohio, and expects the number of people with the disease to increase by more than 25% over the next four years. The testimony says 6 in 10 people with dementia will wander, a potential for 132,000 interactions with an Ohio first responder. It urges the committee to codify competency-based dementia training for first responders and to pass House Bill 23.

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Full text

House Bill 23

Proponent Testimony

Trey Addison, Director of Public Policy

2/17/2021



Good Afternoon and thank you, Chairman Stein, Vice-Chair Johnson, Ranking Member
Lepore-Hagan, and members of the House Commerce and Labor Committee. My name is Trey
Addison, Director of Public Policy for the Alzheimer’s Association. In my role, I advocate on
behalf of the estimated 220,000 individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and
their 600,000 family caregivers in Ohio. I also represent the most comprehensive Alzheimer’s
and Dementia service organization in the United States. The Alzheimer’s Association is the
largest non-profit funder of research in the world​, works with families to support caregiver
needs, provides a 24/7 Helpline, and works with individuals who have Alzheimer’s disease and
other dementias. In Ohio, the Alzheimer’s Association serves thousands of families and
individuals annually and provides support programs to all 88 counties in Ohio in partnership with
the Area Agencies on Aging.

The responsibility of serving Ohio’s most vulnerable population is not something we take lightly.
In 2019, we fought for the introduction and the eventual passage of Senate Bill 24, which
established an Ohio Alzheimer’s and Dementia State Task Force. Now, we are fighting for
House Bill 23.

As Ohio’s aging population continues to grow, so will the number of individuals living with
Alzheimer’s and other Dementia. The Alzheimer’s Association expects the total number of
people living with Alzheimer’s and Dementia to increase by more than 25% over the next four
years. This statistic is alarming in several ways. In Ohio, we will see our costs rise because
Alzheimer’s is the most expensive disease in America. Second, Alzheimer’s does not have a cure
or effective treatment, so we will face this foe until we find one. Lastly, and the reason why we
are fighting so hard in Ohio to protect this growing vulnerable population is 6 in 10 people with
dementia will wander. That fact alone is a potential for 132,000 interactions between someone
living with Alzheimer’s disease and an Ohio first responder. Wandering is just one symptom of
Alzheimer’s. When coupled with agitation and other behavioral symptoms, it only increases the
chances of an unintended and potentially dangerous interaction between Ohio’s most vulnerable
and a first responder.

Ohio must act now and be proactive in our approach to helping Ohio families and first
responders with necessary training and insights to prevent any negative interactions. A person
with Alzheimer’s disease may not remember their name or address and can become disoriented,
even in a familiar place. When someone with dementia is lost, it can lead to anxiety, hostility,
and in some cases, fear. This can lead to more aggressive behavior and severe agitation.

Knowing this horrific disease can cause these systems, we must equip our first responders with
the tools and skills they need to help Ohio’s most vulnerable. By codifying competency-based
dementia training, Ohio stands with Oklahoma, South Carolina, Florida, Virginia, and Indiana as
States take this issue seriously by taking action.

House Bill 23 also addresses the COVID-19 crisis head-on. Our program teams across Ohio have
seen an increased amount of wandering in communities throughout Ohio. The health and safety
of individuals with Alzheimer’s and dementia become increasingly at-risk and frightening. The
secondary and tertiary risks associated with isolation such as being unaware that there is a crisis.
This pandemic also creates unfortunate consequences of social distancing where Adult Protective
Services may need to intervene to protect someone from elder abuse.

We urge the House Commerce and Labor committee members to vote and pass House Bill 23
out of the committee and support this much-needed legislation when it goes to the Ohio House
floor for a vote.



Thank you,



Trey M. Addison

Director of Public Policy

Ohio Alzheimer’s Association


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