underscored material = new
[bracketed material] = delete
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
HOUSE MEMORIAL 53
57
TH LEGISLATURE
- STATE OF NEW MEXICO -
FIRST SESSION
, 2025
INTRODUCED BY
Pamelya Herndon
A MEMORIAL
REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND THE AGING AND LONG-TERM
SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO COLLABORATE WITH THE NEW MEXICO CHAPTER
OF THE ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION AND ANY OTHER ENTITY DEEMED
APPROPRIATE OR BENEFICIAL TO, USING THE BEST AVAILABLE
EVIDENCE-BASED RESEARCH REGARDING BRAIN HEALTH, UPDATE AND
INTEGRATE THAT RESEARCH INTO THOSE DEPARTMENTS' RESPECTIVE
PUBLIC HEALTH EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND CAMPAIGNS AND
INTO THOSE DEPARTMENTS' RESPECTIVE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND CAMPAIGNS AND FURTHER
REQUESTING THOSE DEPARTMENTS TO SEEK FEDERAL FUNDING AND
RESOURCES FOR THE UPDATING AND INTEGRATION EFFORTS THROUGH THE
FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION ON AGING'S ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE PROGRAMS
INITIATIVE AND ANY OTHER FEDERAL PROGRAMS, FUNDS OR RESOURCES
THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE.
.231090.1 underscored material = new
[bracketed material] = delete
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
WHEREAS, according to the national institute on aging,
Alzheimer's disease is a brain disorder that slowly destroys an
individual's memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the
individual's ability to carry out simple tasks, and Alzheimer's
disease is the most common cause of dementia among older
adults; and
WHEREAS, according to Alzheimer's Disease Facts and
Figures, published by the Alzheimer's association, nearly seven
million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease and one
in three seniors dies with Alzheimer's disease or another
dementia, and together these dementias cause more deaths than
breast cancer and prostate cancer combined; and
WHEREAS, that same publication indicated that in 2024,
Alzheimer's disease and other dementias would likely cost the
nation three hundred sixty billion dollars ($360,000,000,000),
and the costs could rise to one trillion dollars
($1,000,000,000,000) by the year 2050; and
WHEREAS, according to the New Mexico chapter of the
Alzheimer's association, more than forty-six thousand people in
the state are living with Alzheimer's disease, and sixty-seven
thousand caregivers dedicate a staggering one hundred eighteen
million hours of unpaid care; and
WHEREAS, in 1960, Dr. Alois Alzheimer noticed changes in
the brain tissue of a woman who died of an unusual mental
illness, and upon examining her brain, Dr. Alzheimer found many
.231090.1
- 2 - underscored material = new
[bracketed material] = delete
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
abnormal clumps, now called anyloid plaques, and tangled
bundles of fibers, now called neurofibrillary or tau tangles;
and these plaques and tangles, along with the loss of
connectors between neurons in the brain, are some of the main
features of Alzheimer's disease; and
WHEREAS, an increased understanding of brain health
derived from the best available evidence-based research related
to cognitive decline, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias
is essential to increase the public's understanding and
awareness of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and the
warning signs, risk reductions and early detection of such
debilitating brain diseases and is equally essential to educate
the public about the relationship between chronic diseases and
Alzheimer's disease and other dementias; and
WHEREAS, there are significant challenges faced by
caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease or other
dementias, including obtaining access to resources that may be
available to help support caregivers with these challenges; and
WHEREAS, health care providers can play a significant role
in educating individuals about the risk factors and early
detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and other
dementias; and
WHEREAS, it is essential to provide education and
resources to the state's health care providers regarding the
importance of validated assessment tools for detection and
.231090.1
- 3 - underscored material = new
[bracketed material] = delete
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
diagnosis of cognitive impairment and the value of employing
those tools during an individual's medicare annual wellness
visit, along with ensuring that health care providers
understand the medicare care planning billing codes for
individuals with cognitive impairment, the provision of
effective care planning and available treatments; and
WHEREAS, health care providers will be better enabled to
provide the best standard of care for individuals faced with an
Alzheimer's disease or other dementia diagnosis if the health
care providers have access to the best evidence-based research
on brain health and related diseases; and
WHEREAS, the federal administration on aging leads
initiatives to support people living with Alzheimer's disease
and related dementias and their caregivers, and the agency
provides funding to states and community-based organizations
through the Alzheimer's disease programs initiative; and
WHEREAS, the need for federal funds and resources is
clear, and focused efforts to obtain those funds and resources
for New Mexico could play a significant role in the state's
ability to positively impact education, awareness and care for
all New Mexico residents whose lives, or the lives of their
loved ones, are touched by Alzheimer's disease or other
dementias;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the department
.231090.1
- 4 - underscored material = new
[bracketed material] = delete
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
of health and the aging and long-term services department, in
collaboration with the New Mexico chapter of the Alzheimer's
association and any other entity deemed appropriate or
beneficial, be requested to, using the best available evidence-
based research regarding brain health, update and integrate
that research into those departments' respective public health
education and outreach programs and campaigns and into those
departments' respective health care provider education and
outreach programs and campaigns; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that to assist with the costs of
updating and integrating public health outreach programs and
campaigns, the department of health and the aging and long-term
services department be requested to seek to obtain funds and
resources from the federal administration on aging through the
federal administration's Alzheimer's disease programs
initiative and any other federal programs, funds or resources
that may be available; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department of health and
the aging and long-term services department be requested to
work together to produce a report on the outcomes of the
efforts to update and integrate evidence-based research and
information regarding Alzheimer's disease for education and
outreach programs and campaigns as requested in this 2025
memorial and to provide that report to the New Mexico
legislative council and the governor; and
.231090.1
- 5 - underscored material = new
[bracketed material] = delete
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be
transmitted to the governor, the secretary of health, the
secretary of aging and long-term services, the New Mexico
chapter of the Alzheimer's association and the New Mexico
legislative council.
- 6 -
.231090.1