Hundreds of people were in Albany Tuesday to call on the governor and the legislature to increase funding in the state budget for Alzheimer's disease initiatives.
A local group of about 30 people boarded a bus to the state capitol, led by the President and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association of Rochester and the Finger Lakes region, Teresa Galbier.
She says there's a $50 million dollar commitment to Alzheimer's programs and services in the executive budget, but more needs to be done, including passage of new advanced home health aide legislation.
"Which will provide more opportunities for home health aides to do additional services and support for people in the home, which is a huge issue for us today."
Galbier notes that over 380 thousand New Yorkers are living with Alzheimer's disease, and there just aren't enough resources to support each of them and the family members who provide unpaid care.
She says they want to thank lawmakers for their support so far, but they're also seeking more funding for Alzheimer's disease initiatives in the budget.