Alzheimer’s disease is not a distant crisis. It is a present, accelerating public health emergency – one that touches families in every city and town in Connecticut. Yet despite its scale and its profound human impact, Alzheimer’s still does not receive the coordinated attention, funding, or urgency that other major health threats demand. That’s why Alzheimer’s advocacy has never been more important than it is right now. More than 80,000 Connecticut residents live with Alzheimer’s or another dementia. Behind every diagnosis is a family navigating fear, role changes, and the overwhelming responsibility of providing care. Unpaid caregivers in our state contribute nearly 100 million hours of care annually, often while juggling full-time jobs, raising children, or managing their own health concerns. The emotional and financial strain is immense — and often invisible. Yet a deeper challenge is quietly growing beneath the surface: the demographic shift accelerating the crisis. By 2030, one in five Americans will be over the age of 65. Connecticut is already one of the oldest states in the nation, meaning we will feel the impact of this aging wave earlier and more intensely than most. The need for a strong, dementia-capable public health infrastructure is not theoretical. It is urgent. The encouraging news is that meaningful solutions do exist – and advocacy is how those solutions become reality. Recent federal legislation such as the BOLD Act and the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act has transformed the national response to dementia by strengthening public health systems, supporting Centers of Excellence, and — critically — requiring the National Institutes of Health to clearly outline the annual funding needed to achieve the goals of the National Alzheimer’s Plan. That accountability requirement matters. It ensures that Alzheimer’s research and care receive stable, transparent investment rather than slipping to the margins of federal priorities. Connecticut is also stepping up. In 2025, the state passed legislation that will require all state-regulated health insurance plans to cover biomarker testing— including for conditions like Alzheimer’s — starting January 1, 2026. This coverage improvement will help democratize access to advanced diagnostics and accelerate earlier detection and treatment — a major win for families who have historically faced disparities in access to care. And these legislative wins didn’t happen by accident. They happened because ordinary people — caregivers, community members, and advocates — raised their voices. They wrote letters, called their representatives, shared their stories, and refused to let Alzheimer’s be ignored. I’ve seen firsthand how powerful advocacy can be. Years ago, while serving as an Ambassador to Rep. John Larson through the Alzheimer’s Impact Movement, I wrote to his office encouraging him to support the BOLD Act shortly after it was introduced. Within days, his district office called to say he would co-sponsor. That legislation is now law, and its Centers of Excellence are shaping how states – including Connecticut – respond to Alzheimer’s. It is living proof that individual advocacy can influence national policy. But our work is far from finished. New treatments are emerging, yet access remains uneven. Early detection tools are improving, but most people are still diagnosed far too late. Caregivers continue to bear an unsustainable load without adequate support. And health equity gaps persist, especially in communities of color that face both higher risk and lower access to diagnostic care. Alzheimer’s takes memories, independence, and time — but it should not take hope. Advocacy is how we preserve that hope. It ensures that families are not left to navigate dementia alone, that science continues to advance, and that government meets the scale of the challenge with urgency and compassion. We cannot afford to wait for the crisis to deepen. The moment for action is now –and every voice matters. Erin Mahoney of Avon is an Alzheimer’s Advocate. ...read more read less