INDIANA – The Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter is applauding the passage of Senate Enrolled Act 353, which will set minimum dementia training standards for home health aides. The bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and was signed into law by Governor Eric Holcomb on March 8, 2022.
SEA 353 was authored by Sen. Vaneta Becker (R-Evansville) and Sen. Stacey Donato (R-Logansport) and co-authored by Sen. Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington), Sen. Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso), Sen. Michael Young (R-Indianapolis), and Sen. Lonnie Randolph (D-East Chicago). It was sponsored in the House by Rep. J. Michael Davisson (R-Salem), Rep. Ann Vermilion (R-Marion), Rep. Cindy Ledbetter (R-Boonville), and Rep. Gregory Porter (D-Indianapolis).
“Hoosier families are increasingly choosing in-home health aides to assist with caregiving,” said David Sklar, director of government affairs, Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter. “Setting minimum training requirements will benefit these professionals by ensuring they have an understanding of the unique needs of people living with dementia, and it will help ensure their patients receive quality care. We want to thank Governor Holcomb and the many legislators on both sides of the aisle who supported this bill.”
Nearly 220 volunteer Hoosier advocates from across the state sent emails and contacted legislators in support of the bill during the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter’s Day of Action last month. Another 259 advocates sent messages to Governor Holcomb asking him to sign the bill.
“I am very pleased to see Senate Enrolled Act 353 signed into law,” said Sen. Becker. “I authored this bill to provide better care for all Alzheimer’s patients, and I look forward to observing the good it will do for the future care of those afflicted with this heartbreaking disease.”
“It was a pleasure to work on and help pass this legislation, which will directly impact more than 100,000 Hoosier Alzheimer patients, their families, and caregivers,” said Rep. Davisson. “I appreciate the awareness and advocacy the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Indiana Chapter continues to bring to the increasing population of patients facing Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other cognitive decline disorders across the state.”
“I was very pleased to be a co-sponsor of Senate Enrolled Act 353,” said Rep. Porter. “As someone who relies on home health care for a member of my family, I know how important these training requirements will be. It’s important that we provide a holistic approach and the best possible patient-centered care to all Hoosiers who utilize home health services, particularly those living with dementia.”
About 110,000 Hoosiers are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease. Another 215,000 are serving as unpaid family caregivers. The cost of serving Hoosiers living with Alzheimer’s and dementia on the Medicaid program reached $1.1 billion in 2020, and that number is expected to increase more than 17 percent by 2025.
