Dementia

Dementia is a loss of cognitive functioning and behavioral ability that significantly interferes with a person's daily life and activities. There are many types of dementia, including Alzheimer's, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy Bodies, frontotemporal dementia, Huntington's Disease, and others. Alzheimer's Disease is the most common type of dementia, affecting roughly 190,000 Michigan adults 65 and older.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services supports the Michigan Dementia Roadmap, which by was created in 2019 by the Michigan Dementia Coalition - a collaborative group of community agencies, universities, dementia caregivers, and state government programs concerned about dementia and related conditions.

The Michigan Dementia Roadmap guides MDHHS and the Michigan Dementia Coalition in their efforts to reduce the burden of dementia in the state and to create a dementia-capable Michigan. The Roadmap can be viewed as a comprehensive document or as a summary.

For more information, visit the Michigan Dementia Coalition website.

General information about dementia and aging:

• Eldercare Locator, a service provided by the U.S Administration on Aging
• The AARP Michigan webpage

For caregivers:

• The Alzheimer's Association Caregiving webpage, which includes information and resources for caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias.
• National Alzheimer's Call Center
  The ACL-funded Call Center is operated by the Alzheimer's Association is available 24-hours a day, seven days a week at 1-800-272-3900. The Call Center serves people in 56 states and territories 365 days a year, providing information, expert advice, care consultation, and referrals at both national and local levels. Trained professional staff and social workers with master's degrees are available at all times.
  
  The Call Center can help with questions about memory problems and how to deal with challenging behaviors, and staff can provide tips for taking care of someone with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia. When people call the National Alzheimer's Call Center, they may be referred to local Alzheimer's Association chapters, Aging and Disability Resource Centers, Area Agencies on Aging, Adult Protective Services, Alzheimer's Disease Centers, adult day services, and other service providers.

Disease-specific information on types of dementia:

• What Is Alzheimer's Disease? - CDC
• Alzheimers - National Institutes of Health
• The Alzheimer's Association
• The Alzheimer's Foundation of America
• The University of Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
• The Michigan Parkinson's Foundation

Healthcare and insurance:

• Information on Medicare annual wellness visits, which outlines the purpose of annual wellness visits and what is included in such appointments.