Gov. Ron DeSantis held a press conference Monday to discuss the state’s increased budget for Alzheimer’s research and care in Jacksonville.
Florida will allocate $51 million toward dealing with Alzheimer’s disease during the state’s 2021-22 fiscal year, an increase of $12 million.
The money will fund the state’s Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative, which helps provide care and equipment for those dealing with the disease.
DeSantis said it will also support Alzheimer’s research grants to institutions around the state, like the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.
“In the past year, they have completed over 200 evaluations and almost 100 free memory screenings,” DeSantis said. “They have also trained almost 1,500 caregivers, first responders, health care workers and others whose family or friends may be suffering from memory loss through an education program.”
DeSantis has listed Alzheimer’s and dementia as a priority within the state’s health improvement plan. Earlier this month, he signed a proclamation marking June as Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month in Florida.
“In Florida, we continue to put seniors first,” DeSantis said at The Windsor at San Pablo, an assisted living facility in Jacksonville.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 5 million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s. That includes 538,000 in Florida - 2.7% of the population, one of the highest rates in the country.
Tristan Wood can be reached at newsteam@wjct.org or on Twitter at @TristanDWood.
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