Support Alzheimer’s effort with your vote

Thank you for your coverage of the Obama administration's strategy to fight Alzheimer's (“Government adopts landmark strategy to fight Alzheimer's,” May 15).

President Obama deserves a homer for his leadership in fighting this disease, which affects more than 5 million Americans. That number is expected to triple in the coming decades.

In Iowa, there are 69,000 people afflicted with Alzheimer's. This past legislative session the Iowa Senate, led by Sen. Liz Mathis, passed Senate File 2270 to implement the recommendations of a state Alzheimer's task force by a strong bipartisan vote of 44 to 6. This bill would have established an Alzheimer's coordinator and helped attract federal and private funds for Alzheimer's research and services.

Unfortunately, House Speaker Kraig Paulsen and Gov. Terry Branstad failed to act on this legislation, apparently because they did not want to add a government employee to coordinate this effort. That attitude is penny-wise and pound-foolish. A tidal wave of patients and people who have to care for them is fast approaching. Paulsen and Branstad have let down Iowans who must deal with this terrible disease.

This fall, make sure the candidates you vote for support a coordinated state-level government effort to deal with Alzheimer's. You owe it to your loved ones.

Anne Salamon

Cedar Rapids