California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent ResolutionNo. 173


Introduced by Assembly Member Cooley

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Brown, Dahle, and Gallagher)

April 19, 2016


Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 173—Relative to Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month and The Longest Day.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 173, as introduced, Cooley. Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month and The Longest Day.

This measure would recognize the month of June 2016 as Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, would recognize June 21, 2016, as The Longest Day in California, and would urge all residents to wear purple on this day to help spread global awareness of the Alzheimer’s Association’s vision of imagining a world without Alzheimer’s disease.

Fiscal committee: no.

P1    1WHEREAS, The month of June 2016 has been declared
2Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month to help spread awareness
3of this debilitating disease and the need to increase efforts to
4combat its human and economic costs; and

5WHEREAS, The summer solstice, June 21, 2016, has been
6declared The Longest Day, with teams around the world coming
7together to honor the strength, passion, and endurance of people
8facing Alzheimer’s disease with a day of activity and advocacy;
9and

P2    1WHEREAS, Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive
2neurodegenerative brain disorder, tragically robs individuals of
3their memories and leads to mental and physical impairments; and

4WHEREAS, California has more residents living with
5Alzheimer’s disease than any other state in the nation and the
6state’s population is projected to grow by 38 percent in the next
7decade reaching 840,000 individuals affected by 2025; and

8WHEREAS, California’s Medi-Cal program this year will spend
9over $3.3 billion on skilled nursing care and home and
10community-based supports for beneficiaries living with
11Alzheimer’s disease, quickly climbing to $5 billion in Medi-Cal
12spending within 10 years; and

13WHEREAS, Alzheimer’s disease is always fatal and today it is
14the fifth leading cause of death in California; and

15WHEREAS, Alzheimer’s disease is a family disease impacting
161.6 million California spouses, partners, children, siblings, and
17other relatives who provide unpaid assistance to a loved one; and

18WHEREAS, California caregivers devote 1.8 billion hours of
19unpaid assistance to family members valued at over $22 billion in
20nongovernment financial support; and

21WHEREAS, On average, a person with Alzheimer’s disease
22lives four to eight years after diagnosis, but can live as long as 20
23years, depending on other factors; and

24WHEREAS, Individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and
25their caregivers need acknowledgment, support, and services to
26meet their needs over the lengthy progression of Alzheimer’s
27disease and related dementias; now, therefor, be it

28Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
29thereof concurring,
That the Legislature recognizes the month of
30June 2016 as Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, recognizes
31June 21, 2016, as The Longest Day in California, and urges all
32residents to wear purple on this day to help spread global awareness
33of the Alzheimer’s Association’s vision of imagining a world
34without Alzheimer’s disease; and be it further

35Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
36of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.



O

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