The State Plan on Alzheimer's
Lt. Governor André Bauer joined television personality Leeza Gibbons and members
of the Purple Ribbon Task Force on Alzheimer's at the Statehouse on March, 7th 2009
to unveil the new State Plan on Alzheimer's. The plan is the first comprehensive
study of Alzheimer's and related disorders since the late Governor Caroll Campbell
called for a Blue Ribbon Task Force to study the disease in 1993.
The Purple Ribbon Task Force was created by a concurrent resolution adopted by the
General Assembly in 2008, requesting the Lt. Governor's Office on Aging convene
this body to study the current and future impact of Alzheimer's disease in South
Carolina. The Task Force assessed the needs of persons with Alzheimer's and related
disorders and the resources available to them to develop a strategy to address this
health issue.
The Purple Ribbon Task Force developed twenty recommendations as to how to better
serve Alzheimer's victims and their caregivers to provide the nearly 80,000 victims
and 160,000 family caregivers a better quality of life. One of the recommendations
was for a toll free number to be established where individuals seeking assistance
with Alzheimer's could call. Lt. Governor Bauer announced in the press conference
that the Office on Aging would take on this immediately through the use of its existing
toll free number 800-868-9095 rather than going to the time and expense of establishing
a new toll free number.
Leeza Gibbons, a national television personality and Irmo native joined her father
Dr. Carlos Gibbons who is a member of the Purple Ribbon Task Force at the press
conference to share their stories as to how their family dealt with her mother's
battle with Alzheimer's. Ms. Gibbons commended the efforts of the Purple Ribbon
Task Force on Alzheimer's and Lt. Governor Bauer for his leadership in confronting
the issue.
"Alzheimer's touches the lives of nearly every family, mine included as my aunt
has the disease," Lt. Governor Bauer said. "To put the number of victims of this
terrible disease into perspective, consider that the estimated 80,000 victims of
Alzheimer's in South Carolina would fill Williams Brice Stadium in Columbia, and
the nearly 160,000 family caregivers would fill Williams Brice and Death Valley
in Clemson. I am proud of the efforts of the Purple Ribbon Task Force and will do
everything I can to make sure their recommendations are enacted," Bauer continued.
The State Plan on Alzheimer's is available in its entirety to the public at the
Lt. Governor's Office on Aging website www.aging.sc.gov.
At the Purple Ribbon Task Force announcement about Alzheimer's disease, Lieutenant Governor Andre' Bauer presented Leeza Gibbons an award for her efforts on bringing attention to the disease.
Provided by: Lt. Governor Andre Bauer's Office on Aging
|
Help Andre End the Cycle of Dependency by Donating Today
Donate $10 to Help End the Cycle
of Dependency in South Carolina
Launch Our Desktop
Broadcasting Player
Please download our new innovative video broadcast feature created by a South Carolina
company founded by Irmo, South Carolina native, Dean Meidanis and William Holliday.
|