Hawaii State Alzheimer’s Plan Overview
In 2011, the Hawaii Executive Office on Aging, in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association Aloha Chapter, formed a special Task Force to develop a State Plan on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD). The task force included representatives from state agencies, care provider organizations, community organizations, faith communities, and research centers as well as advocates, long-term care providers, consumers, and elder law attorneys. In December 2013, the Office on Aging published Hawaii 2025: State Plan for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias.
In 2018, Governor Ige signed into law House Bill 1916, which mandated the Executive Office on Aging update and biannually report to the state legislature and the governor on the progress of the implementation of the Hawaii State Plan on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias. Following the receipt of a federal BOLD grant in October 2020, the Executive Office on Aging updated the Hawaii 2025 State Plan in alignment with the Healthy Brain Initiative (HBI) 2018-2023 Road Map. In September 2023, the Executive Office released the Hawai’i 2035: State Strategic Plan on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias. This newly revised plan proposes strategies to address data collection, program and policy change, public awareness and education, and workforce development.
Hawaii 2024 Policy Priorities
Require Dementia Training for Law Enforcement Officers
Law enforcement officers frequently encounter individuals living with dementia when responding to emergencies, such as searching for a lost individual, stopping drivers who exhibit unsafe driving, rescuing people with dementia from abuse, and intervening in crisis or disaster situations. Currently, first responders in Hawaii are permitted to receive dementia training but are not required. Without required training on how to recognize the signs of dementia and effectively communicate with people living with dementia, situations may escalate quickly with potentially dangerous consequences. The Alzheimer’s Association is urging state lawmakers to require dementia training for law enforcement officers.
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Together, we’re making an impact. Find an Alzheimer’s Association chapter in your community for more ways to engage.
31,200
people living with Alzheimer’s in Hawaii
60,000
Hawaii residents are providing unpaid care
$240 Million
Medicaid cost of caring for people living with Alzheimer’s (2020)
376.3%
increase in Alzheimer’s deaths 2000-2021
16%
in hospice with a primary diagnosis of dementia
1.6%
increase of geriatricians in Hawaii needed to meet the demand in 2050
Resources to Drive Change in Hawaii
The following resources developed by AIM and the Alzheimer’s Association will help you learn more about the issues impacting people living with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers, how Hawaii policymakers are addressing these gaps, and how you can help drive change.