Alzheimer's Association Minnesota-North Dakota

Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's disease. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.

The Alzheimer's Association offers individuals with Alzheimer's and related dementias, their families and their care partners our 24/7, multilingual Information Helpline; community and professional education opportunities including an annual conference; one-on-one support through care consultations; support groups throughout the two-state area; our MedicAlert® + Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return® program for those with dementia; state and national advocacy efforts toward better care and increased funding for a cure; and an international research program.

In our most recent fiscal year, the Association provided more than 40,000 individuals with dementia, their care partners, community members and health care professionals with programs and services.

Education and Support

-- 24/7 Information Helpline. More than 4,300 calls were made to the Helpline for information, support and resources.

-- Community and Professional Education. The Association offered dementia-specific workshops and conferences throughout the two-state area. A Meeting of the Minds: The Dementia Conference 2011 had 1,283 participants and, in total, more than 18,900 people attended community or professional education programs.

-- Support Groups. 113 support groups, led by trained volunteer facilitators, provided assistance and encouragement to individuals and their care partners affected by dementia.

-- Care Consultation. 744 individuals with memory loss and their care partners received 1,787 care consultations, giving them individualized assistance with problem solving, planning and identifying resources.

-- MedicAlert® + Safe Return®. 139 people enrolled in this 24-hour, nationwide, emergency response service for individuals with dementia who wander or have a medical emergency. In total, 2,145 people are enrolled across Minnesota and North Dakota.

-- Web Site. The Alzheimer’s Association Web site contains a wealth of information regarding Alzheimer’s and related diseases and had 75,120 web visits.

Advocacy

The Alzheimer’s Association advocates at the state and federal levels for legislation to improve the lives of individuals with Alzheimer’s and related diseases and their care partners and to increase the amount of funding for research leading to treatments and a cure.

In FY11, the Association’s advocacy efforts achieved high impact in both Minnesota and North Dakota. In Minnesota, the Association successfully advocated for legislation to advance three recommendations of the Alzheimer’s Disease Working Group, which will more accurately quantify the incidence and impact of the disease, improve the Minnesota Health Care Home model and identify newly created Alzheimer’s programs with promise to lower costs for families and state government. In North Dakota, the Association advocated successfully to sustain the Dementia Care Services Project to provide information, resources, care and support to families across the state. The Association also empowered caregivers, families and persons with the disease to urge our members of Congress to increase federal research funding and support legislation leading to improved diagnosis, care and planning for families impacted by this disease.

Research

Nationally, the Alzheimer’s Association is a leader in the global fight for a world without Alzheimer’s. The Association leads in many ways, including through an international research grants program, an annual, international conference for researchers and professionals, a research roundtable composed of industry scientists and a professional journal. The Association also offers TrialMatch™, an opportunity for the general public to be leaders by participating in clinical trials. For more information, visit www.alz.org/research.