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North Branch has been an “ACT on Alzheimers” city for a couple years now;  so when U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar had some time in her schedule she made a point of stopping by North Branch to  learn more.  

ACT on Alzheimers provided outreach, community training and programming meant to de-stigmatize Alzheimers, and customize local supports for needs of North Branch residents.  

Susan Taylor, with Senior Services for Family Pathways, helped bring the benefits to the community, with help from Cambridge officials who had introduced that city’s ACT on  Alzheimers awareness initiative. Family Pathways holds support groups and other trainings at the senior center in North Branch. Contact Taylor 674-8658 or see familypathways.org for details.

Taylor and a Board on Aging representative,  and an official with the MN Alzheimers Association spoke with Senator Klobuchar October 12;  along with about a half dozen program providers and North Branch mayor Kirsten Hagen Kennedy.  They met at Ecumen nursing home and assisted living facility in North Branch.   

Sen. Klobuchar and her ally in the senate, Susan Collins, -Maine, have been very active in funding and monitoring Alzheimers federal appropriations.

Klobuchar said it’s the government’s role to make it less onerous for caregivers to take care of Alzheimers sufferers and to assist in research for a breakthrough.

North Branch Police and EMS teams have taken Alzheimers trainings so they can better communicate with those who have Alzheimers and understand what the illness does to people.  

North Branch Police Chief Dan Meyer told the senator the communitywide effort is being embraced and nobody said they’d prefer to not learn more.  Meyer commented on Project Lifesaver, a sheriff’s program originally,  but local officers are getting more involved in due to how effective the Project Lifesaver equipment is in locating and keeping safe, people with dementia.  

Sen. Klobuchar  said she’s aware the police are often the first line-of-contact for wandering persons or they get called when there’s suspicious behavior in public that can be attributed to Alzheimers.
A local resident told Klobuchar her elderly mother is living in her house now and noted some issues with accessing long term care insurance benefits to help cover respite and adult daycare costs.  She added that family-member provided care reimbursements allowed for other ailments need to be expanded to allow for families taking care of family members with Alzheimers.

Sen. Klobuchar said it sounds like North Branch is on the right track. She expects senators and representatives will be hearing more about this as the population ages.

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