The South Dakota Department of Health will be developing and implementing a new prevention program to help state residents reduce their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease or other related dementias (ADRD).
Secretary, Melissa Magstadt says Alzheimer’s Disease is the fifth leading cause of death in South Dakota and this funding will allow the department to provide education and resources that can help citizens with this devastating disease.
Age is the main risk factor for Alzheimer’s Disease, with adults 65 years and older being at the most risk for developing the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year (2022). Information from the Alzheimer’s Association says there were an estimated 18,000 South Dakotans age 65 years and older who were living with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2020.
The DOH will collaborate with the Alzheimer’s Association South Dakota Chapter; SDSU Extension; the Better Choices, Better Health SD program; other state agencies; and healthcare industry partners to establish a coalition to reduce the burden of ADRD through a prevention-focused public health approach aligned with the Center for Disease Control’s Healthy Brain Initiative. The coalition will assist the department with improving public health infrastructure and increasing capacity in the field, as well as increasing awareness of the disease and improving access to resources for individuals and caregivers affected by ADRD.
The DOH received a five-year federal Building Our Largest Dementia Infrastructure (BOLD) grant for $1.25 million to aid in the department’s development and implementation of a prevention program centered around ADRD. This is the first time South Dakota has received a grant of this kind.
Alzheimer’s Association South Dakota State Executive Director Leslie Morrow says her group is excited that the South Dakota DOH has received this BOLD grant to further enable the state to improve the public health approach to brain health and dementia risk reduction. She says the Alzheimer’s Association is looking forward to collaborating closely with the DOH and other coalition members to implement robust public health strategies aligned with the Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map to improve the state’s response to dementia.
The department will use best practices and optimize evidence-based strategies to create a bold and sustainable public health approach in addressing this ever-growing issue in South Dakota.
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