For Immediate Release September 27, 2018
For Information Contact:
Senator Luther Olsen
(608) 266-0751

Senator Olsen Delivers GOP Radio Address

Madison, WI – Sen. Luther Olsen (R-Ripon) delivered the weekly GOP address today. As our aging population grows, more and more individuals will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease or another form of dementia. In fact, projections from the Alzheimer’s Association expect that the number of people affected by a form of dementia to double by 2040. The address is below:

115,000 Wisconsinites currently live with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. It is the sixth leading cause of death in the state and the only one that is incurable.

Hi, I’m State Senator Luther Olsen. Most people know someone who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia and know how devastating it can be. In the state budget, Republicans provided funding for Dementia Care Specialists at the state’s forty Aging and Disability Resource Centers. These specialists provide cognitive screenings, promote independence for individuals with dementia, and support caregivers. Early detection of dementia allows individuals to work with their doctors on possible lifestyle changes and to find treatment options that may be available to address the progression of the disease or to ease symptoms. This session, we passed a bill to provide funding for grants to increase awareness of Alzheimer’s disease in rural and underserved urban areas, helping people with dementia seek earlier diagnosis, giving them and their families time to plan for the future.

I applaud Governor Scott Walker and my legislative colleagues for recognizing the impact
Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia have on families and for working to increase awareness and access to services around the state.

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