Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's disease. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.

The Alzheimer's Association offers individuals with Alzheimer's and related dementias, their families and their care partners our 24/7, multilingual Information Helpline; community and professional education opportunities including an annual conference; one-on-one support through care consultations; support groups throughout the two-state area; our MedicAlert® + Alzheimer’s Association Safe Return® program for those with dementia; state and national advocacy efforts toward better care and increased funding for a cure; and an international research program.

In our most recent fiscal year, the Association provided more than 40,000 individuals with dementia, their care partners, community members and health care professionals with programs and services.

Education and Support

-- 24/7 Information Helpline. More than 5,100 calls were made to the Helpline for information, support and resources.

-- Community and Professional Education. The Association offered dementia-specific workshops and conferences throughout the two-state area. The Meeting of the Minds Dementia Conference 2012 had 1,100 participants and, in total, more than 16,400 people attended community or professional education programs.

-- Support Groups. 120 support groups, led by trained volunteer facilitators, provided assistance and encouragement to individuals and their care partners affected by dementia.

-- Care Consultation. 1,374 individuals with memory loss and their care partners received 1,965 care consultations, giving them individualized assistance with problem solving, planning and identifying resources.

-- MedicAlert® + Safe Return®. 149 people enrolled in this 24-hour, nationwide, emergency response service for individuals with dementia who wander or have a medical emergency. In total, 2,259 people are enrolled across Minnesota and North Dakota.

-- Web Site. The Alzheimer’s Association Web site contains a wealth of information regarding Alzheimer’s and related diseases and had 85,400 web visits.

Advocacy

The Alzheimer’s Association advocates at the state and federal levels for legislation to improve the lives of individuals with Alzheimer’s and related diseases and their care partners and to increase the amount of funding for research leading to treatments and a cure.

In FY12, more than 30 advocates from Minnesota and North Dakota travelled to Washington to request support from their representatives for $100 million in new Alzheimer’s funding, which is called for in the first-ever National Alzheimer’s Plan. Alzheimer’s Association stakeholders also continued to contribute their expertise to Prepare Minnesota for Alzheimer’s 2020 (PMA 2020). In addition, Alzheimer’s Association advocates helped ensure that the North Dakota Dementia Services Program was established as a line item in the North Dakota budget.

Research

Nationally, the Alzheimer’s Association is a leader in the global fight for a world without Alzheimer’s. The Association leads in many ways, including through an international research grants program, an annual, international conference for researchers and professionals, a research roundtable composed of industry scientists and a professional journal. The Association also offers TrialMatch™, an opportunity for the general public to be leaders by participating in clinical trials. For more information, visit www.alz.org/research.