Watching a loved one suffer from Alzheimer’s takes an enormous emotional toll. With an estimated 6.5 million Americans aged 65 and older living with Alzheimer’s, tens of millions of family members have been impacted by this cruel disease.
Unfortunately, our community is extremely familiar with Alzheimer’s. The numbers are staggering: over 518,000 Floridians are living with Alzheimer’s, including 16,000 right here on the Treasure Coast. And there are even some studies that indicate that the toxic algal blooms that plague our water increase the risk of these heartbreaking neurodegenerative diseases.
That’s why I am committed to dedicating resources so that we can advance research and, one day, find a cure. This week, I cosponsored the National Alzheimer’s Project Reauthorization Act and the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act. These two bills would help develop a plan and increase spending on research, treatments and public education campaigns.
As a Member of the Bipartisan Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease, I will continue to push for policy that will move us closer to a cure.
