HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Department of Aging recently convened a sweeping virtual symposium on Alzheimer’s, Dementia and Related Disorders, drawing nearly 600 attendees and signaling an intensifying statewide push to confront one of the most costly and personal public health challenges facing older adults and their families.
The Alzheimer’s, Dementia and Related Disorders Virtual Symposium showcased treatment breakthroughs, emerging research, brain health strategies, and expanded caregiver support, while highlighting how state policy and community action are converging to address a disease that reaches far beyond the clinic.
Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich told attendees that dementia has long been treated as a private burden rather than a shared responsibility, arguing that quality of life for people living with the disease often hinges on everyday interactions as much as medical advances. He said families, neighbors, businesses, and policymakers all play a role in creating communities that replace isolation with understanding and support.
Presentations during the symposium focused on risk reduction, early detection, biomarkers, and advances in treatment, alongside practical resources for caregivers. Partners included the Pennsylvania Association of Area Agencies on Aging, Dementia Friendly Pennsylvania, the Alzheimer’s Association, and AARP. The department also highlighted PA CareKit, a resource designed for unpaid caregivers and developed under Aging Our Way, PA, the Commonwealth’s 10-year strategic plan to improve aging services.
The symposium unfolded against the backdrop of new funding and structural changes aimed at accelerating progress. Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2025–26 budget delivered $5 million in first-ever secured funding for neurodegenerative disease research, to be administered by the Department of Health. The investment targets conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, ALS, and Parkinson’s, with the goal of moving discoveries more rapidly from laboratories into patient care.
Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen said the funding represents an investment in hope, enabling Pennsylvania’s research institutions to pursue breakthroughs that could one day make dementia manageable or even preventable. She said the administration is focused on translating science into real-world outcomes for patients and families.
Pennsylvania has also moved to institutionalize its response. In 2024, legislation signed by Governor Shapiro created the Commonwealth’s first Office of Alzheimer’s, Dementia and Related Disorders, overseen by the Department of Aging. The law also established an ADRD Advisory Committee, bringing together statewide partners to implement the ADRD State Plan, advocate for policy changes, pursue federal funding, and strengthen support systems for those living with the disease and their caregivers.
The urgency is underscored by stark numbers from the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2025 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report for Pennsylvania. More than 282,000 residents age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s. An estimated 470,000 caregivers provide 831 million hours of unpaid care valued at nearly $16 billion. In 2024 alone, Alzheimer’s was linked to 4,100 deaths statewide.
State officials say those figures reflect not just a health crisis, but an economic and social one that demands sustained attention and coordination.
More information about Alzheimer’s, Dementia and Related Disorders resources is available through the Department of Aging at https://www.pa.gov/agencies/aging/health-topics-for-older-adults/alzheimers-disease-and-related-disorders-.
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