Finance Subcommittee on Health Care Hearing Statement: “Alzheimer’s disease: The Struggle for Families, a Looming Crisis for Medicare”

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, released the following statement for the Finance Subcommittee on Health Care hearing, “Alzheimer’s disease: The Struggle for Families, a Looming Crisis for Medicare.”

“I thank Chairman Toomey and Ranking Member Stabenow for holding this important hearing. Alzheimer’s disease is something that I care a lot about it, and for me and for my family, this is an issue that hits home. My mother had Alzheimer’s disease. Her mother and her grandmother had Alzheimer’s disease. So I know firsthand that Alzheimer’s is a tough disease—for the people afflicted with it, and for those who love them. I strongly believe that more can and should be done to help the five million Americans suffering from the disease and the over 15 million family members and friends who care for them.

“In the 20th century, humanity succeeded in eradicating diseases such as polio and smallpox. Now is the time for us to put our resources behind finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease and stopping this debilitating and heartbreaking disease in its tracks. I know there is broad bipartisan support in Congress to improve care and find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, and I look forward to working together toward that shared goal.”