The Assembly Speakers Task Force on Alzheimer's and Dementia stopped in Rhinelander last fall to take testimony on the needs of this region.
Wednesday, members of the Task Force stopped by Rhinelander to report on their findings. Task Force Chair Representative Mike Rohrkaste of Neenah said rural Wisconsin will have a higher percentage of people affected by Alzheimer's and dementia than more populated areas. He says one in three adults will have the disease when they reach their 80's. Rohrkaste says three bills were signed into law this session with the most important being more funding to help caregivers..
".....it was almost doubling the state's investment in the respite care program. We added almost a million dollars worth of funding to that. That's important because it provides respite care for informal family members who are generally helping a family member with dementia...."
The measure passed with bipartisan support in both chambers of the legislature and Representative Rob Swearingen of Rhinelander said the disease is a bipartisan issue...
"...this is not a partisan issue. Alzheimer's affects everybody, whether it's nationwide, statewide, countywide or in your hometown community...."
Representative Mary Czaja of Irma was on the Task Force. She felt the testimony from local professionals was an eye opener for many on the Task Force who saw an increasingly large number of elderly people in the Northwoods...
"....I was very happy with the task force and I was very happy it came up to Rhinelander. It was eye-opening for our colleagues in the southern part of the state to see how limited our resources are in the Northwoods..."
Rohrkaste says they will try to get more legislation passed this next budget cycle.
