Lilly-Backed Law Promotes Health Care for Dementia and Alzheimer’s Patients

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – As part of her efforts to raise awareness about dementia during Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, state Rep. Camille Y. Lilly, D-Chicago, is highlighting a law she helped create to establish a full-time Dementia Coordinator at the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).

“I’m proud to help support better health care for dementia patients and their families,” Lilly said. “Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, has an effect on people all over our state and we need to ensure dementia patients have the care and support they deserve.”

Under the Lilly-backed law, Senate Bill 1726, IDPH will have a full-time Dementia Coordinator utilizing existing funds from the state’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research, Care, and Support Fund (ADRCSF), which is funded through an income tax check-off and Alzheimer’s awareness license plate fees. The state’s Dementia Coordinator will be charged with coordinating dementia services, increasing dementia-specific health care training and identifying grants for funding dementia care and support programs. According to research from IDPH, there are nearly 230,000 Illinoisans living with Alzheimer’s disease and the average state spends over $4 billion dollars per year caring for dementia patients.

“With a Dementia Coordinator at the state’s public health department, Illinois can provide more patients, more families and more health care professionals with the latest research on how to best care for and support dementia patients,” Lilly said. “This law is a demonstration of the fact that our state will not turn its back on aging citizens who face the challenges of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.”