Shriver: National Policy on Alzheimer's Needed

Oct. 19, 2010 — -- This election cycle, Maria Shriver, the first lady of California, wants to make sure that women use their votes to support new policies on Alzheimer's and its caregivers.

"It's an exciting time for women in this country," she told Diane Sawyer during a recent interview for "World News." "I think we can really push the envelope. We can get people's attention."

And what Shriver wants people to notice is her extensive new report on Alzheimer's titled "The Shriver Report: A Woman's Nation Takes on Alzheimer's."

A collaborative research effort between Shriver and the Alzheimer's Association, it calls on society and government to address the needs of patients and caregivers, fund more research into treatment for Alzheimer's and other brain diseases, and help people prepare for the possibility of an Alzheimer's diagnosis.

She said the job of a caregiver is 24/7. "Caregivers end up spending about $5 billion on their own health," she said. "People who do the caretaking are at much more risk of depresssion, and increased chances of getting Alzheimer's."

"Caregivers need to learn to ask for help. They need to join support groups," she said, adding that the nation needs to get involved.

Much of the information in the report comes from the Alzheimer's Association's 2010 Women and Alzheimer's Poll, which involved interviews with more than 3,100 people, including more than 500 caregivers. The poll shows the deleterious effects of trying to maintain a full-time job while caring for someone with Alzheimer's.