Virginia is on the verge of establishing a dementia registry project in state law, thanks to HB 1455. This bill, currently awaiting Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s signature, will codify the Virginia Memory Project in state law. This project is a collaboration between Virginia Commonwealth University and the Virginia Department of Health that aims to catalog dementia cases and other neurodegenerative diseases in the state to inform public policy development.
The Virginia Memory Project is one of four statewide dementia registries in the country supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under the CDC’s Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act. Recent legislation has been introduced in the House and Senate to reauthorize the original 2018 act. The registry collects data on disease cases and caregivers in the state, with the goal of providing policymakers and public health leaders with information about the prevalence of cognitive impairment, resource allocation, and policy solutions for individuals living with cognitive impairment and their caregivers.
LeadingAge Virginia has expressed support for this legislation, highlighting the importance of collecting data related to brain health, memory, and caregiving for all adult Virginians. Melissa Andrews, President and CEO of LeadingAge Virginia, stated that this information will help prioritize resources for individuals with memory loss and caregivers throughout the state, including those in various care settings beyond just assisted living facilities.
Currently, over 700,000 cases of dementia have been identified across Virginia through this initiative. Individuals aged 18 and older can participate by completing a confidential online survey. By supporting this project, we can provide valuable data that will support well-being among individuals with cognitive impairments and their caregivers in our state.