Alzheimer’s disease is a deeply impactful condition, affecting over seven million Americans who have the illness and nearly 12 million family members providing care. November marked National Family Caregivers Month, and the holiday months are a good time to focus on supporting the 1.2 million dedicated Californians currently serving as caregivers.
The weight of this disease is profoundly personal to me, as I have a family member living with Alzheimer’s. As a dedicated high school student and future healthcare advocate, I am deeply concerned about the lack of dementia specialists in our state.
My commitment is further solidified by my volunteer work at a local nursing home, where I regularly engage with both patients and their caregivers. These interactions have revealed firsthand that the caregiving journey is incredibly demanding and often leaves families feeling isolated and without adequate medical support.
This dedication strengthens my passion for neuroscience—a field I am studying and plan to pursue—and for ensuring both caregivers and patients receive the support they deserve. Recent medical breakthroughs offer treatments that can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s, making early detection and accurate diagnosis more critical than ever for patients to benefit from these advancements.
Unfortunately, a significant barrier exists: More than half of primary care doctors (55%) report an inadequate supply of available dementia specialists. This gap necessitates congressional action. We urge Congress to pass the bipartisan Accelerating Access to Dementia & Alzheimer’s Provider Training (AADAPT) Act (H.R. 3747). This essential bill will equip Primary Care Providers (PCPs) to deliver the high-quality, specialized dementia care that families urgently need today.
I strongly encourage Rep. Swalwell to stand with the 1.2 million California caregivers and the future of patient care by cosponsoring the AADAPT Act (H.R. 3747) to bridge the dementia specialist gap. To learn more about vital caregiving support and resources, reach out to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org or 800.272.3900.
Arjun Gupta
American High School, Fremont
