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We are proud of our leadership in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. Click the links below to learn more about our accomplishments in fiscal year 2008.
Timeline of Key Events
July 2007
The Association called for the creation of the independent, nonpartisan Alzheimer’s Study Group (ASG), which will evaluate the nation’s current effort to combat Alzheimer’s disease and develop recommendations for how the public and private sectors can address the problem in the future.
August 2007
The third phase of the Alzheimer's Association Dementia Care Practice Recommendations for Assisted Living Residences and Nursing Homes on end-of-life care was released.
To further empower people with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, the Association hosted a series of Early-Stage Town Hall Meetings.
September 2007
In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15), the Association published a series of Spanish-language Alzheimer information and care guides.
Through a nationwide “forward-to-a-friend” e-mail initiative, the Association raised $2.8 million in recognition of World Alzheimer’s Day, Sept. 21. The $1.8 million raised from individual donors was matched with a groundbreaking $1 million grant from the Harrah’s Foundation.
October 2007
The annual Rita Hayworth Galas, held in New York City on Oct. 10, 2007 and in Chicago on May 10, 2008, raised over $3.5 million for Alzheimer research and support programs.
November 2007
CareSource, an online suite of services, was launched to provide caregivers with resources to coordinate, plan and find the most appropriate care for a person with dementia.
The Association launched an innovative alliance with the renown MedicAlert Foundation to offer MedicAlert® + Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return®, extending the Association’s program to include real time emergency medical information.
December 2007
By organizing a one-day phone and e-mail campaign to protest President Bush’s veto of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget, the Association urged advocates to contact the White House to ask for increased funding for Alzheimer research at the NIH.
January 2008
Members of the Association’s Early-Stage Alzheimer Advisory Group were featured in a report about early-onset Alzheimer’s on the PBS nightly news program NewsHour, a bold service to speak out about the disease and decrease stigma related to people who have it.
February 2008
In honor of Black History Month and American Heart Month, the Association partnered with the American Heart Association to launch a joint public awareness program aimed at promoting heart and brain health among African-Americans.
March 2008
The Association released the Alzheimer’s Association 2008 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, which provides new data on Alzheimer’s disease prevalence in the United States. This report has become the definitive resource on Alzheimer’s to multiple audiences, including the national news media.
In a breakthrough, full-page ad placed in major national daily newspapers, the Association called on presidential candidates to answer how they will address the looming Alzheimer’s epidemic.
April 2008
Two-dozen new celebrities, including Terrell Owens, Penny Marshall and Leeza Gibbons, joined the Alzheimer’s Association Champion campaign, lending their faces and voices to help educate the public about the disease.
The Association was the proud recipient of the 2008 Caregiver Friendly Awards for its Senior Housing Finder and Coach Broyles' Playbook for Alzheimer's Caregivers, a how-to guide for caregivers. The Caregiver Friendly Awards are presented by Today's Caregiver magazine to celebrate outstanding books, media, products and services designed with the best interest of the family caregiver.
May 2008
On May 13, 2008 the Association held its first annual Alzheimer’s Association National Corporate Recognition Conference, “In Good Company,” in conjunction with the Public Policy Forum in Washington D.C.
The Association mobilized thousands of advocates at our 20th Annual Public Policy Forum, as we made Capitol Hill calls to lawmakers and delivered virtual visits from those unable to attend in person.
June 2008
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced Alzheimer’s disease, the new sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. In response, the Association called on lawmakers to increase Alzheimer research funding to slow or stop progression of the disease.
An Asian-language Web portal was launched on www.alz.org with information about the disease, warning signs and caregiver tips, in Mandarin-Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.
The Association’s Green-Field Library launched AskAway, a virtual reference service that enables people to submit a specific question to the Association’s librarians, or connect to librarians across the country via live chat any time of night or day.
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