To: Mr.

Dave Brat
From: Madison Caudill
Date: Sunday, March 25, 2018
Subject: H.R. 2972 Alzheimer's Caregiver Support Act

Currently, the average costs for long-term care services in the United States are exorbitant, even
for the above-average American citizen income. A semi-private room in a nursing home costs
upwards of $86,000 per year and a year of basic services at an assisted living facility costs
$45,000 (Genworth Financial, 2017). It’s no surprise that some families choose to take on the
caregiver role of their loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease given these costs. However, caring
for individuals with Alzheimer’s brings with it a different kind of burden, one that takes a toll on
the physical, emotional and social health of its caretakers. For this reason, I proudly support H.R.
2972 The Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Act.
 In 2018, there will be an estimated 140,000 individuals of our Virginia communities
that will suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. By 2025, that number will increase by over
35% (Alzheimer’s Association, 2018).
 83% of the care provided to these individuals with Alzheimer’s disease is performed
by family, friends or other unpaid caregivers. These caregivers provide over
526,000,000 hours of care valued at over $6,640,000,000 (Alzheimer’s Association,
2018).
 As a result of their unpaid care, research has revealed that caregivers of patients with
Alzheimer’s have higher levels of stress, increased incidence of depression and
anxiety, and report high physical strain and increased levels of emotional stress when
compared to caregivers of people without dementia (Alzheimer’s Association, 2018).

Recommendation: Vote to pass bill H.R. 2972 Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Act. The bill
would amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Department of Health and Human
Services to make grants to public and nonprofit private health care providers to expand training
and support services for families and caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease. Research
has shown that support services for the caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease
reduces the rate of nursing home placement, improves caregiver quality of life, and results in
greater satisfaction with nursing care than those without support (Mittelman, 2006; Mohide,
1990). I recommend we show support to these underappreciated caregivers and the mass amount
of personal burden they undergo to care for some of our most vulnerable individuals in our
population as they descend into dementia. Join me in supporting H.R. 2972 Alzheimer’s
Caregiver Support Act to provide support for these individuals and continue to allow them to
care for their loved ones with improved health and state of mind.
 References

Alzheimer’s Association (2018). 2018 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. Alzheimer’s

Dement, 14(3), 367-429.

Genworth Financial, Inc. (2017). Genworth 2017 Cost of Care Survey. Home Care Providers,

Adult Day Health Care Facilities, Assisted Living Facilities and Nursing Homes.

Accessed by https://www.alz.org/care/alzheimers-dementia-common-costs.asp

Mittelman, M. S., Haley, W. E., Clay, O. J., & Roth, D. L. (2006). Improving caregiver well-

being delays nursing home placement of patients with Alzheimer

disease. Neurology, 67(9), 1592-1599.

Mohide, E., Pringle, D. M., Streiner, D. L., Gilbert, J. R., Muir, G., & Tew, M. (1990). A

randomized trial of family caregiver support in the home management of

dementia. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 38(4), 446-454.