Kathy Foster: Veterans have more options for treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

Good news for veterans: the Department of Defense recently announced that TRICARE, a health care plan for active and retired service members and their families, will start covering dementia care planning and cognitive assessment for people living with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. Inclusion of care planning through TRICARE will encourage doctors to share diagnosis with those living with Alzheimer’s and their families, and provide information about treatment options and medical and community services.

Thank you to Rep. Jim Costa for being an early co-sponsor of the HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act, which led to these changes. I appreciate all the support Rep. Costa has given to the Alzheimer’s Association.

This benefit is needed because the rapidly growing number of Americans affected with Alzheimer’s includes a growing population of military veterans who appear to be at increased risk for the disease. Studies show veterans with PTSD are nearly twice as likely as other veterans to develop Alzheimer’s.

As event chair for the Merced Walk to End Alzheimer’s, I encourage all to support the Alzheimer’s Association and join us on Oct. 7 at the Applegate Park Outdoor Theater at 8 a.m. We need you to make a difference in the fight against this horrible disease. Visit act.alz.org/merced2017 for more information.

This story was originally published September 5, 2017 at 6:14 PM with the headline "Kathy Foster: Veterans have more options for treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease."