Article archive / December 2021
Originally published: . Volume 12, No. 12. Source pages: 4.
According to a November 29 press
release from the Louisiana Department of Health, Well-Ahead Louisiana, the chronic disease prevention and healthcare access arm of the Louisiana Department of Health, has been awarded $345,000 in federal funding through the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act.
Provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the funding will be used to implement effective Alzheimer’s interventions, including boosting early detection and diagnosis, reducing risk and preventing avoidable hospitalizations.
“This grant provides an opportunity take the foundation Well-Ahead has established in chronic disease prevention and management, as well as outreach to healthcare providers, and expand upon it to improve outcomes for Louisiana’s residents living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia diseases, as well as those who serve as their caregivers,” said Melissa R. Martin, Director of Well-Ahead Louisiana. State Rep. Malinda White (I- Boglausa) co-authored Act 73 in the 2021 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature, which calls for an increase in general education about Alzheimer’s and other dementia diseases, as well as a specific effort to educate healthcare providers on early detection, the link to chronic diseases and effective care planning.
Well-Ahead Louisiana will work with the Alzheimer’s Association and other partners, to focus on policy, system and environmental changes to promote risk reduction, early diagnosis, the prevention and management of comorbidities and avoidable hospitalizations for residents with Alzheimer’s or other dementia diseases. Funded activities will align with the Healthy Brain Initiative State and Local Public Health Partnerships to Address Dementia, which was created by the CDC and the Alzheimer’s Association to ensure Alzheimer’s and other cognitive health issues are incorporated into existing public health initiatives.
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