A house RESOLUTION

 

to encourage all South Carolinians to be informed about the symptoms of Alzheimer's and the great need for research to find a cure for the disease, for advocacy for those who suffer from its effects, and for suCCor for their caregivers, and to recognize March 6, 2024, as "Alzheimer's Advocacy Day" in the State of South Carolina.

 

Whereas, Alzheimer's is a brain disease that causes a slow decline in memory, thinking, and reasoning skills. There are ten early signs and symptoms of which everyone should be aware, and these symptoms should not be ignored because early detection matters; and

 

Whereas, some of the early signs of Alzheimer's include memory loss that disrupts daily life, challenges in planning or solving problems, difficulty completing familiar tasks, confusion with time or place, and trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships; and

 

Whereas, other common early symptoms of Alzheimer's consist of new problems with words in speaking or writing, misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps, decreased or poor judgment, withdrawal from work or social activities, and changes in mood and personality; and

 

Whereas, if someone  notices one or more signs in himself or another person, it can be difficult to know what to do. It would be natural to feel uncertain or nervous about discussing these changes with others. Voicing worries about one's own health might feel threatening or seem upsetting to others; however, significant health concerns should be evaluated by a doctor; and

 

Whereas, according to the South Carolina Alzheimer's Disease Registry, at least 111,818 individuals were living with Alzheimer's in the State as of February 2024. In 2015, South Carolina had the highest Alzheimer's death rate in the nation, and it remains in the top five causes of death in the State; and

 

Whereas, at the state level, South Carolina has an Alzheimer's crisis. In 2020, Medicaid costs for South Carolinians with Alzheimer's reached 652 million dollars, and those costs were expected to increase twenty-five percent in just four years; and

 

Whereas, there is an increasing impact on caregiving families. An estimated 197,000 family members or friends of those with Alzheimer's serve as caregivers in South Carolina and provide almost three hundred million hours of unpaid care valued at over 4.4 billion dollars. Caregivers of people with Alzheimer's indicate substantial financial, emotional, and physical health difficulties themselves; and

 

Whereas, with a growing concern for the Alzheimer's crisis in the Palmetto State, the South Carolina House of Representatives values the efforts of South Carolinians who care for those with Alzheimer's, and the members encourage all citizens to advocate for those impacted by the disease. Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

 

That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, encourage all South Carolinians to be informed about the symptoms of Alzheimer's and the great need for research to find a cure for the disease, for advocacy for those who suffer from its effects, and for succor for their caregivers, and to recognize March 6, 2024, as "Alzheimer's Advocacy Day" in the State of South Carolina.

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