Alzheimer’s Research Gets Push with Large Donations to Universities
About This Article
Future leaders in Alzheimer's disease and dementia research will benefit from funding provided to two major universities in their fight for treatment and cure for dementia. Planning for future costs and burdens of aging is still essential to retirement planning.
Linda Maxwell
Former journalist who now enjoys writing about topics she is interested in.
Two major universities have received significant gifts to continue their research into Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. Currently, 5.7 million Americans live with Alzheimer's. Nearly 14 million will suffer from Alzheimer's by 2050, according to projections.
Former Congressman Herbert C. Klein, a Rutgers University alumnus and longtime donor, made a $5 million gift to support Rutgers' fight against Alzheimer's disease and other devastating neurodegenerative conditions.
Dale and Deborah Smith also recently made a substantial financial gift to the Center for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine.
Both donations will help provide funding for the research and treatments of various forms of dementia.
Klein's gift to Rutgers is in memory of his wife, Jacqueline Krieger Klein, who died in 2017 after battling Alzheimer's disease. In part, the donation will be used to create the Jacqueline Krieger Klein Endowed Director's Chair in Neurodegeneration Research. It will also establish the Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer's and Dementia Clinical Research and Treatment Center at the Brain Health Institute, which is affiliated with Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences.
Meanwhile, the Smith donation will help Southern Illinois School of Medicine expand its research into Alzheimer's. It will enhance the university's research and improve care for people who now live with Alzheimer's disease, and assist their caregivers.
The Dale and Deborah Smith Center for Alzheimer's Research and Treatment at the Southern Illinois University of Medicine provides clinical care, research, and community programs throughout Illinois. Along with its Memory and Aging Network, the center has served more than 4,000 patients and their families. The National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health has awarded more than $7.2 million in grants to the center for Alzheimer's-related research in the past three years.
At Rutgers, their work in neurodegeneration research has led to substantial federal funding, including a $29 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. Those funds help Rutgers lead a multi-university team that will expand clinical trials and seek out new therapies.
Alzheimer’s – No Effective Treatment or Cure
Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia is a leading cause of death and long-term care and the only major cause of death that does not have effective treatment or a cure. Many families face a crisis attempting to provide care for a loved one or pay for long-term health care services.
Health insurance, including Medicare and supplements, does not pay for dementia care or other long-term custodial services. Medicaid will pay only if you have little or no assets. Long-Term Care Insurance will pay for these services, but you must purchase a policy when you are still in good health.