Vermont H.C.R. 234: House concurrent resolution designating Wednesday, January 31, 2018 as Mental Health Advocacy Day at the State House

Bill Text

R-286 Page 1 of 1
2026

VT LEG #388549 v.1
No. R-286. House concurrent resolution designating April 9, 2026, as Alzheimer’s
Awareness Day at the State House.
(H.C.R.234)
Offered by Representative Noyes of Wolcott
Whereas, “dementia is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving
and other thinking abilities that [is] severe enough to interfere with daily life,” and
Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia, is a progressive disease, and
Whereas, in 2025, over 12,000 Vermonters were living with Alzheimer’s and 20,000
caregivers provided 29 million hours of unpaid care, valued at $773 million, and
Whereas, dementia caregivers report higher rates of emotional, physical, and financial
stress than do caregivers of individuals with other types of illnesses, and
Whereas, more than one in five caregivers in Vermont are providing care to an
individual with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia, and
Whereas, over 10 percent of dementia caregivers in Vermont report being in frequent
poor physical health, and, nationally, a significant percentage report problems due to the
state of their mental health, and
Whereas, Vermont has prioritized support for dementia caregivers through the
Dementia Respite Grant program that the Department of Disabilities, Aging, and
Independent Living and the Area Agencies on Aging jointly administer, and
Whereas, the Dementia Respite Grant program allows dementia caregivers to have a
brief break to take care of their own needs and to reduce caregiver burnout, and,
importantly, this initiative aims to keep individuals in their communities and helps to
defer the necessity of Medicaid support for as long as possible, and
Whereas, today, April 9, 2026, family members, caregivers, and medical professionals
are gathered at the State House to inform the General Assembly of the financial, personal,
and societal implications of Alzheimer’s disease in Vermont, now therefore be it
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives:
That the General Assembly designates April 9, 2026, as Alzheimer’s Awareness Day
at the State House, and be it further
Resolved: That the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this resolution to
the Vermont Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.