July 26, 2005
State Gets Grant to Address Alzheimer's Disease
Montana is one of only 10 states in the nation to receive a federal grant this year aimed at improving care for people with Alzheimer's disease and support for their family caregivers, the state Department of Public Health and Human Services announced Tuesday.
The Senior and Long Term Care Division (SLTC) of DPHHS will get $290,000 from the federal Administration on Aging to provide training and support to people with Alzheimer's and their family caregivers to help them cope with their day-to-day challenges until a cure for the disease can be found. The grant also will be used to help improve the responsiveness of home- and community-based services.
One requirement of the grant is that half of the money must be spent on direct-care services. SLTC plans to concentrate on respite care, according to Kelly Williams, administrator of the division. A portion of one-time, in-home caregiver money appropriated by the 2005 Legislature will also be used to implement the project.
"Most of the people in this country who need long-term care - including many people who have Alzheimer's - are tended by family caregivers," Williams said. "This informal caregiving represents an invaluable commitment by family and friends. It strengthens family and community bonds."
"Since the population is aging, and since there are not enough health-care workers to meet the current demand for care in community and institutional settings, informal caregiving is a critical function," she added. "So it's critical that we support those caregivers and enable them to fulfill this very demanding role."
The three major objectives of the project are:
- To address systemic issues at the state level that impede the efficient delivery of respite services across all DPHHS divisions;
- To develop and implement three or more demonstration programs that will coordinate and increase access to respite services for caregivers living in rural areas;
- To educate the public about Alzheimer's disease and caregivers about the availability of respite services; and
- To provide skill-based training to enhance caregivers' abilities.
SLTC plans to work with the Montana chapter of the Alzheimer's Association on some of the objectives.
The grant proposal was developed over a six-month period by the Governor's Advisory Council on Aging. Further information is available from Doug Blakley, SLTC, 7787 or dblakley@mt.gov.
Page last updated: 06/15/2006
