Courtney Roberts
GERO 610
Advocacy Analysis
4/1/2014
Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association is the world’s leading voluntary health organization
in the care, support, and research of Alzheimer’s disease. There are currently more than 5
million people that suffer from Alzheimer’s disease in the United States and 35 million
people worldwide and these numbers are expected to skyrocket. The cost of care will rise
exponentially for society. It has been recognized as a top large nonprofit to work for by
The NonProfit Times, which is the leading information provider for the nonprofit
division. The mission of this organization is, “to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through
the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all the affected;
and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health”. Their vision is
a world without Alzheimer’s. The core values of this organization are: integrity,
commitment to excellence, inclusiveness, diversity, consumer focus, and accountability.
The Alzheimer’s Association works on a global, national, and local level.
The Alzheimer’s Association was formed on April 10, 1980 with Jerome H. Stone
as the founding president. The Association today reaches millions of people that are
affected by Alzheimer’s disease across the globe through the national office and more
than 75 local chapters. They are the largest donor-supported, voluntary health
organization and are a catalyst for advancements in the research and care of Alzheimer’s
disease. The strategic goals of this organization are to increase concern and awareness of
the disease and the association, advance advocacy, enhance care and support, accelerate
research, and grow revenue support. The Alzheimer’s Association has several unique
features. There are local chapters all over the nation that provide services to each specific
community. There is a 24/7 hotline that is professionally staffed and serves more than
250,000 callers in more than 170 languages. There are over 4,500 support groups, which
help to connect people all over the world. Caregivers and their families have the ability to
look at resources and information online. The association delivers 20,000 education
programs annually and there is a free online tool called Alzheimer’s Navigator that
provides people with step-by-step guidance and action plans. One of the most interesting
features is that they house the nation’s largest library and resource center that is devoted
to Alzheimer’s disease. The association’s largest event is the walk to end Alzheimer’s,
which raises money for awareness, care, support, and research.
The Alzheimer’s Association is committed to accelerating the progress of new
treatments, preventions, and a cure for this disease. They have been a part of every major
research advancement for the past 30 years due to the relationships and funded projects
they are involved in. There is a research grant program that is peer-reviewed and has
awarded $315 million to more than 2,200 scientists since 1982. The annual Alzheimer’s
International Conference brings together thousands of researchers to share their
information and findings with one another. This association has their own scientific
journal, Alzheimer’s & Dementia, which shares diverse knowledge with the community.
The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voice for advocacy, fighting for
critical research, prevention, and care initiatives at the state and federal level. They are
responsible for developing policy resources to educate decision makers on the economic
and emotional toll that Alzheimer’s takes on families. They also engage officials at all
levels of government and participate in the annual Alzheimer’s association advocacy
forum, which is a march on Capitol Hill to meet elected representatives. One of the other
main things they do for advocacy is that they work to pass legislation at the federal, state,
and local level.
The annual report that was listed on the website was from 2012, which was a year
of firsts for the Alzheimer’s Association and their movement. 2012 was a year of
exciting, tangible results, drawing further momentum to a growing cause, but these
achievements were not reached alone. These accomplishments were a result of collective
action, generous investment, and firm commitment from their constituents and donors. In
2012, bold inroads in research were made, drawing 5,600 members of the Alzheimer’s
scientific community to the world’s leading forum on dementia research. The Association
made progress in public policy, spearheading an effort to shape the first-ever National
Alzheimer’s Plan that was released in May 2012. In more than 130 town hall meetings
across the country, Americans struggling with Alzheimer’s were asked to state what
should be included in the plan and their ideas were then delivered to the administration in
a special report. The Association created innovative ways to enhance care and support,
which uses popular technology to reach a growing audience. They elevated concern and
awareness of the disease to new levels through efforts such as the inaugural World
Alzheimer’s Month in September 2011, which was a 4-week initiative to raise the global
profile. With the generosity of donors, they grew in their ability to fuel mission activities.
They raised more than $249 million organization-wide for Alzheimer’s care, support, and
research.
The national board of directors is made up of a chair, chair elect, secretary,
treasurer, executive committee members, ex-officio, directors, and honorary directors.
The current president and CEO is Harry Johns. The Alzheimer’s Association Medical and
Scientific Advisory Council (MSAC) shapes the philosophical direction of the research
programs and ensures the integrity of the peer-review process for awarding grants.
MSAC members are involved in identifying new developments in research that merit
further study, conducting second round reviews in grant selection, and ensuring the
accuracy of the Association’s advocacy and public education materials. In 2006, the
Association established an advisory group composed of people in the early stages of the
disease; this group is helping to provide appropriate services for people living with earlystage Alzheimer’s disease.
The symbol for the Alzheimer’s Association represents who they are and what
they do. It is a symbol of their dual mission of people and science and a commitment that
guides their daily work in research, advocacy, education, and support. This association
works very hard to support the patients and caregivers of this awful disease with the
ultimate goal of terminating it all together. They are a top nonprofit organization that
strives on donations from the communities that they are involved in. There are many
career opportunities that are available through this organization. One of their top
priorities is to work with the government in order to receive more funds to allocate for
awareness, advocacy, and research of Alzheimer’s disease.