Missouri Lawmaker Pushes For Alzheimer’s Support Groups

Alzheimer’s Disease; it destroys the minds of millions of people every year- leaving them and their families to feel alone, and isolated. The Missouri House has passed a bill that would require each county to have a support group.

State Representative Don Rone of Portageville says he doesn’t have a support group in New Madrid County.

“I think it’s very important that not just the person that has Alzheimer’s, but the caretakers, have a place to go and know what’s going to happen.”

Bill sponsor, David Wood of Versailles, says fourteen members of his wife’s family have had Alzheimer’s and dementia over the last 25 years.

“To ask that every county just provide a support group, which can be as simple as having the community health center provide a space for these family members to share their experiences and have someone help them through this, is a very small ask.”

The support group requirement was added to a bill that would create a statewide Alzheimer’s task force to review the existing services and resources available to such patients and their caregivers. The measure heads to the Senate.