Public Policy
Advocacy
Why is Advocacy Important?
Every day, decisions made at the local, state, and federal levels impact those living with dementia and the caregivers who support them. Advocacy ensures that lawmakers understand the real needs, challenges, and concerns of those impacted by dementia.
You do not need to be a public policy expert to make a difference. Sharing your own personal or professional experiences related to dementia can help shape legislation, improve community resources, and raise awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Your voice truly matters.
How You Can Advocate
Our advocacy toolkit provides simple, step-by-step guidance on how to share your story with legislators and elevate the issues that matter most. View the English toolkit or Spanish toolkit.
Not sure who represents you? Use the links below to find your elected officials:
Local
Find your County Supervisor: https://gis-portal.sandiegocounty.gov/arcgis/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=e75d5c7a59ff4d6a90e862a481c3ba96
State
Find your state representatives in the congress and senate: https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/
Federal
Find your U.S. Senator: https://www.senate.gov/senators/
Find your U.S. member of congress: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Local Advocacy
Alzheimer’s San Diego actively participates in key coalitions and community partnerships that work to improve the lives of local residents affected by dementia. By collaborating with organizations across San Diego County, we strengthen our collective voice, align priorities, and advance meaningful change for people living with dementia and their care partners.
The Alzheimer’s Project
Alzheimer’s San Diego has built an incredible movement to address the devastating toll of dementia locally through the County Alzheimer’s Project. As a key partner, we actively work to raise public awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia and to provide guidance to local community and government leaders.
The Caregiver Coalition
Alzheimer’s San Diego plays a vital role in identifying and addressing the needs of caregivers through the Caregiver Coalition of San Diego. The goal of this coalition is to identify and address the needs of caregivers through advocacy efforts and collaboration in order to improve the overall quality of life for caregivers, their families, and the community.
Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP)
Alzheimer’s San Diego is a partner of the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP), co-led by the UC San Diego Division of Geriatrics, Gerontology and Palliative Care and San Diego State University. With funding provided by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this collaborative initiative is educating local healthcare providers and communities on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias to enhance care for those with memory loss and their families in San Diego and Imperial Counties.
California Advocacy
The California State Legislature shapes policies that directly affect dementia care, support services, healthcare access, and long-term care across our state. The legislature is made up of 80 members of the Assembly and 40 members of the Senate, each representing specific local districts. Each elected official has an office in Sacramento and locally, where constituents can call or schedule in-person meetings to discuss state priorities. Members of the California Senate are elected to a four-year term and serve specific districts. Members of the California State Assembly are elected to a two-year term and serve specific districts.
AB 2541 (Bains) Guidelines for Addressing Wandering
Over 60% of those living with Alzheimer’s will wander at some point and finding people quickly is the key to ensuring their safe return. An estimated 50% of those with Alzheimer’s not found within 24 hours will suffer serious injury or death. And while San Diego has the Take Me Home program, over 70% of counties in California do not have a rapid response program and/or registry to aid in finding a missing person with a cognitive impairment. There is no statewide coordination or response to preventing and addressing the issue of wandering of those with a cognitive impairment.
To address the issue of wandering, Alzheimer’s San Diego, Alzheimer’s Los Angeles, and Alzheimer’s Orange County are cosponsors of AB 2541. Introduced by Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains (AD-35), this bill will develop guidelines for law enforcement addressing wandering associated with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and autism. AB 2541 directs the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) to develop guidelines with the help of subject matter experts across government, emergency, and public transit agencies along with organizations with expertise in autism, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia and wandering.
Alzheimer’s San Diego is a proud member of the Leaders Engaged on Alzheimer’s Disease (LEAD) Coalition. The LEAD Coalition is a national collaborative effort between dozens of organizations throughout the country to advocate for research, caregiver support, and access to affordable and quality health care. Participation in this coalition ensures that the voices of San Diegans impacted by dementia are heard by policymakers at the federal level. To learn more about our federal priorities and the LEAD Coalition, visit the Lead Coalition here.
