Nebraska Revised Statute 71-566

Chapter 71

71-566.

Council; considerations; findings and recommendations.

The council shall consider and make findings and recommendations on the following topics:

(1) Trends in the state's Alzheimer's disease and other dementia populations and service needs, including:

(a) The state's role in providing or facilitating long-term care, family caregiver support, and assistance to those with early-stage or early-onset Alzheimer's disease or other dementia;

(b) The state's policies regarding individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia;

(c) The fiscal impact of Alzheimer's disease and other dementia on publicly funded health care programs; and

(d) The establishment of a surveillance system to better determine the number of individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia and to monitor changes to such numbers;

(2) Existing resources, services, and capacity relating to the diagnosis and care of individuals living with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia, including:

(a) The type, cost, and availability of dementia care services;

(b) The availability of health care workers who can serve people with dementia, including, but not limited to, neurologists, geriatricians, and direct care workers;

(c) Dementia-specific training requirements for public and private employees who interact with people living with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia which shall include, but not be limited to, long-term care workers, case managers, adult protective services, law enforcement, and first responders;

(d) Home and community-based services, including respite care for individuals exhibiting symptoms of Alzheimer's disease or other dementia and their families;

(e) Quality care measures for home and community-based services and residential care facilities; and

(f) State-supported Alzheimer's disease and other dementia research conducted at universities located in this state; and

(3) Policies and strategies that address the following:

(a) Increasing public awareness of Alzheimer's disease and other dementia;

(b) Educating providers to increase early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and other dementia;

(c) Improving the health care received by individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia;

(d) Evaluating the capacity of the health care system in meeting the growing number and needs of those with Alzheimer's disease and other dementia;

(e) Increasing the number of health care professionals necessary to treat the growing aging and Alzheimer's disease and dementia populations;

(f) Improving services provided in the home and community to delay and decrease the need for institutionalized care for individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia;

(g) Improving long-term care, including assisted living, for those with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia;

(h) Assisting unpaid Alzheimer's disease or dementia caregivers;

(i) Increasing and improving research on Alzheimer's disease and other dementia;

(j) Promoting activities to maintain and improve brain health;

(k) Improving the collection of data and information related to Alzheimer's disease and other dementia and the resulting public health burdens;

(l) Improving public safety and addressing the safety-related needs of those with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia;

(m) Addressing legal protections for, and legal issues faced by, individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia; and

(n) Improving the ways in which the government evaluates and adopts policies to assist individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or other dementia and their families.