“Abuse of Power: Exploitation of Older Americans by Guardians and Others They Trust.”

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“Abuse of Power: Exploitation of Older Americans by Guardians and Others They Trust.”

Opinion: How to Handle Alzheimer's in Montana

For the past two years, a working group of 40 Montana volunteers, health care professionals, private and public agencies has been crafting a plan for tackling a fatal disease that has no cure yet and is expected to afflict 27,000 of us by 2025 as the state population ages.

The Montana Alzheimer’s Working Group introduced its state plan on Monday, a day on which the Helena Capitol dome was lit to honor those living with the brain disease and to honor their caregivers. The event occurred the same day that a legislative interim committee met in the Capitol to consider a package of draft legislation intended to improve support for Montanans with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. The Interim Children, Families, Health and Human Services Committee also is reviewing draft bills to set standards and guidelines for guardianships, a legal necessity for adults with dementia and no family.

Caregivers from Billings, Malta and elsewhere testified for hours to the committee Monday. Speakers were moved to tears as they recounted the struggles of clients and family members with dementia. Members of the Alzheimer’s working group strongly endorsed the draft legislation.

The 2015 Legislature directed the interim committee to study guardianship issues. After hearing from leaders of the Alzheimer’s work group, particularly those from Billings, committee members, including Rep. Jessica Karjala, D-Billings, and Sen. Roger Webb, R-Billings, expanded the panel’s focus to include the growing demands of dementia care.

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Opinion:  How to Tackle Alzheimer's in Montana

Conversation Project testifies before Senate

Cambridge — Harriet Warshaw, executive director of the Conversation Project of Cambridge — a national public engagement campaign supporting “respectful end-of-life care,” participated in a committee hearing, “Renewing the Conversation: Respecting Patients’ Wishes and Advance Care Planning,” organized by the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging.

Warshaw was joined by James Towey, founder of Aging with Dignity; Amy Vandenbroucke, executive director of National Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment Paradigm Task Force; and Gloria Ramsey, associate professor at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, to discuss advance0care planning and the importance of discussing end-of-life issues. Warshaw and colleagues presented their testimonies to committee chairman Senator Bill Nelson (D-Florida), ranking member Sen. Susan M. Collins (R-Maine) and other members of the committee.

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Conversation Project testifies before Senate