COLUMBIA, S.C. — For years, organizations around South Carolina have worked to create a plan to address Alzheimer's in the state. Governor Henry McMaster is expected to sign off on the plan on Wednesday.
The South Carolina chapter of the Alzheimer's Association partnered with several different organizations to create a five-year statewide plan to help with Alzheimer's research and resources.
Taylor Wilson, the director of government affairs for the South Carolina Alzheimer's Association, helped write the updated plan. She said there hasn't been a new plan since 2009.
"Education is key, and we're going to be putting that first and foremost in our work with the state plan, and then after that, it's going to be access to resources, then research," Wilson explained. "What are we doing right? What are we doing wrong? It's not a plan if you're not evaluating it; we need to make sure we're moving the needle. That's why the annual report to the legislators and the governor is such an important component."
Alzheimer's disease is among the top 10 causes of death in South Carolina, meaning healthcare organizations consistently monitor the disease's data.
The Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) is directly involved in examining healthcare responses to Alzheimer's. It also helped craft the five-year state plan through federal funding called "The BOLD Grant." The funding will go toward research, support for caregivers, and providing resources and knowledge for those before and after diagnosis. The research organizations involved are also working on and hope to create some form of pre-diagnosis testing for Alzheimer's and dementia.
DHEC's BOLD program director, Eboni Whitehurst, said she has been directly involved with creating the plan and said it makes great strides.
"Over the past several months, we've worked to create a plan that not only addresses the current care and treatment needs of people impacted by dementia but also addresses risk reduction and early detection and diagnosis for Alzheimer's Disease and related dementia," Whitehurst said.
DHEC published this plan in March, but it has been in the works for the last few years. The document will be officially solidified and signed by Governor Henry McMaster in the State House on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.