The April issue of the journal Health Affairs is devoted to “the long reach of Alzheimer’s disease.” The issue examines research, national policy, caregiver support, and end-of-life care in an expansive collection of 28 articles.
A large portion of the journal issue concentrates on supporting people with the disease. “Our role is to make the case for caregivers and patients currently in need,” said Sarah Dine, senior deputy editor of Health Affairs. She hopes the journal will increase awareness about their plight and inspire good policy. “It’s hard to get funding for care managers who are training for the workforce, or support for family caregivers on the ground,” she told Alzforum.org.
One urgent problem is that people caring for Alzheimer’s patients have few options for guidance or help. “The healthcare system largely neglects caregiving,” said Jason Karlawish, Associate Director of the Penn Memory Center.
“Although multiple randomized controlled trials have shown that education, skill training, and support benefit not just the caregiver, but the patient, we don’t provide those interventions as a matter of routine care,” he said. “That simply has to change.”
Read more at Alzforum. org