CVS Health Foundation Supports New Program for Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis, Disclosure and Education

PRESS REELASE

WOONSOCKET, R.I.

,

Feb. 25, 2016

/PRNewswire/ --The CVS Health Foundation today announced a

$550,000

commitment to the Alzheimer's Association to support expanded provider education and diagnosis resources for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease and caregivers through their local chapters across

the United States

.

"The CVS Health Foundation is proud to support the Alzheimer's Association in its effort to ensure that more people with Alzheimer's are able to comprehend their diagnosis and receive affordable, high-quality care and support," said

Eileen Howard Boone

, president of the CVS Health Foundation. "By facilitating care consultation interventions when a diagnosis is provided, the Alzheimer's Association is helping to maximize a patient's quality of life, which directly aligns with our company's purpose of helping people on their path to better health."

Effective health care provider outreach and education are essential for helping people with Alzheimer's disease achieve their best quality of life. According to the Alzheimer's Association's 2015 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures report, the number of people living with Alzheimer's is expected to rise from over 5 million today to more than 16 million by 2050. In 2015, Alzheimer's and other dementias cost the nation an estimated

$226 billion

. By 2050, these costs are expected to rise as high as

$1.1 trillion

.

In addition, the report showed that only 45 percent of people with Alzheimer's or their caregivers say they were told the diagnosis by their doctor. This low diagnosis percentage remains the reality, despite studies finding several benefits - including allowing for better decision-making, medical care and future planning - in clearly explaining a diagnosis of dementia to the affected patient.

"With the support from the CVS Health Foundation, our local chapters can play an even stronger role in educating health care providers on the importance of diagnosing dementia," said

Beth Kallmyer

, vice president, constituent services, Alzheimer's Association. "By connecting people with the disease and their caregivers with the community resources they need, we believe patients are better positioned to live their best life with the disease."

Alzheimer's Association Chapters with provider relationships will be invited to apply for grants of between

$25,000 and $100,000

to implement a one-year health care provider outreach and education strategy and establish or expand an automatic referral process for education and care consultations, with the goal of increasing the number of people in each chapter with access to care and support programs.