Alzheimer's Bill Passes State Senate: An Act Relative to Dementia Special Care Units in Long Term Care Facilities.

Boston, MA (2008), The Massachusetts State Senate voted unanimously to pass SB425, An Act Relative to Dementia Special Care Units in Long Term Care Facilities. This bill, which requires established standards and regulations to be set for any facility that has an "Alzheimer's Unit", was sponsored by Senator Marc Pacheco.

James Wessler, Alzheimer’s Association President/CEO, calls for consistent standards in all nursing homes to ensure that people with Alzheimer’s will receive quality care. House Bill 616 will require the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to institute these regulations and standards for Dementia Special Care Units in nursing homes across the state.  There are currently more than 140 Dementia Special Care Unites in operation without these regulations.

Attorney Alex Moschella of Moschella & Winston, LLP in Somerville, is on the Public Policy Committee and continually met with the Senate Chair of Ways and Means and staff on the legislation to license special care units for Alzheimer patients in nursing homes. He, along with other members of the committee, was instrumental in getting the Alzheimer’s Association’s Nursing Home Special Care Unit legislation through the Senate.

The bill passed unanimously through the Senate, and now it is on to the State House. There are only four days left in this legislative session to pass S425/H616. It is vital that the Commonwealth establish quality standards for dementia special care units in nursing homes. For more information, please visit www.alz.org/MA.