At the University of Minnesota Medical School Duluth, Klobuchar Highlights Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Dementia and Alzheimer’s Detection and Treatment

DULUTH, MN - U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar was joined by UMD Chancellor Charles Nies, Dean of the UMN Medical School in Duluth Dr. Kevin Diebel, and Executive Director of the UMN Memory Keepers Medical Discovery Team Dr. Kristen Jacklin, to highlight her bipartisan legislation to bolster training for primary care providers so they can better diagnose Alzheimer's and other dementias.

"Detecting Alzheimer's and other dementias early can reduce stress for patients and families, lower unnecessary health costs, and improve access to care," said Klobuchar. "Primary care providers have been calling for more training resources to improve early detection, accurate diagnosis, and care. This bipartisan legislation will deliver those tools and improve patients' and caregivers' quality of life and health outcomes."

Klobuchar introduced the legislation, known as the Accelerating Access to Dementia & Alzheimer's Provider Training (AADAPT) Act, with Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV). The legislation would support virtual continuing education to expand opportunities for Alzheimer's and dementia education and training for more primary care providers. Doing so would improve detection, diagnosis, and treatment of Alzheimer's, as well as other forms of dementia. The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Andy Kim (D-NJ), James Lankford (R-OK), and Maria Cantwell (D-WA).

Over 7 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer's, including about 100,000 in Minnesota. 85 percent of Alzheimer's diagnoses are made by primary care providers.

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