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The Alzheimer’s Study Group (ASG) released their final report, the National Alzheimer’s Strategic Plan, to assess the adequacy of current efforts to combat Alzheimer’s disease and to recommend strategies to combat the disease. Witnesses testified about support for research, translating research breakthroughs into treatment, ensuring quality care, and supporting families.

The television network C-SPAN is hosting the video and transcript of the session online.

California first lady Maria Shriver talked about her experience as a caregiver for her father. She also discussed several advocacy projects, including her childrens book on Alzheimer’s disease, What’s Happening to Grandpa?, and an upcoming HBO series, “The Alzheimer’s Project.” Larry Butcher talked about his experience as a caregiver for his wife, and presented Alzheimer’s Community Care as a patient care model.

In 2007, the Congressional TaskForce on Alzheimer’s Disease commissioned a panel of experts in Alzheimer’s disease and public policy to create a national plan for Alzheimer’s care. The Alzheimer’s Study Group, chaired by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Congressman Bob Kerrey, worked for nearly two years to develop a plan, which was released this week.

The report expresses urgency from its opening sentences:

Alzheimer’s disease poses a grave and growing challenge to our Nation.

Many experts already recognize that Alzheimer’s will severely affect the lives of millions of Americans
who either suffer from this disease or care for someone who does. Less appreciated are the grave economic consequences that Alzheimer’s disease, with its cumulative costs, will impose on the country. Unless we take decisive action now, the Alzheimer’s crisis could very easily surpass even the current economic crisis in the damage it inflicts on individuals and our economy.

Members of the study group, including Gingrich, former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and former Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher, will be on NPR’s Talk of the Nation during its 2 p.m. hour. Listen live in Central New York at WRVO. An archive of the audio will be available from NPR at 6 p.m.

One new link has come around since last night’s wrap up. WWNY-TV in Watertown posted a story and video from their evening news, featuring a family struggling with the costs of Alzheimer’s care.

In addition, Toni Daley, the chapter’s director of development, appeared Movin’ 100.3/96.5 this morning to talk about yesterday’s launch and the upcoming chapter benefit night at the Syracuse Crunch. Movin is our next door neighbor in Syracuse and the media sponsor of the Greater Syracuse Memory Walk.

With the evening news wrapped up, here’s a quick look at where we’ve been today:

• Action News on NBC3 (via CNYCentral.com) in Syracuse
• News 10 Now (via News10Now.com) throughout Central New York
• NewsChannel 34 Evening News (via WIVT.com) in Binghamton –now with video
• NewsChannel 2 at Six (via WKTV.com) in Utica

In addition, spokespeople from the Central New York Chapter discussed the report on Syracuse’s WAER-FM and WWNY-TV in Watertown.

It has been a busy morning for us here at the chapter. With the launch of the 2009 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures Report, we were able to work with WSYR-TV to put together an In-Depth morning, where callers could call the studio and have their questions about Alzheimer’s disease answered. So far, here are the articles and television reports thus far:

• The Post-Standard (via Syracuse.com).
• The Morning News on NewsChannel 9 (via 9WSYR.com).
• NewsChannel 2 at Daybreak/Sunrise (via WKTV.com).

We’ll continue to update this list throughout the day.

Tune in as representatives from the Alzheimer’s Association discuss findings of a new report about Alzheimer’s in America.

Representatives from the Alzheimer’s Association, Central New York Chapter will be in the WSYR-TV studios to answer questions about Alzheimer’s disease on Tuesday, March 24. Staff will be on hand during The Morning News from 5-7 a.m. Make sure to tune in and learn about the big Alzheimer’s-related story being released.