One of the Alliance’s most important missions is to raise awareness and advocate for research around conditions that impact aging Americans. Learn more about our health initiatives below.
Our Initiatives
Project LOOP – Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs in Medicare Part D
Growing out-of-pocket costs in Medicare Part D represent a heavy burden for many older Americans.
Pay It Forward: Volunteering for a Clinical Trial
Getting medical discoveries from the research lab to patients depends on clinical trials and the people who volunteer to participate in them. Volunteering in a trial may help society at large by bringing new treatments one step closer to patients, and could help a loved one if you have a genetic disease or condition.
Venous Thromboembolism
Venous thromboembolism, or VTE, is a term that includes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. It is common–affecting as many as 600,000 Americans each year. While approximately half of all cases are related to hospitalization, there are numerous causes and risk factors that may cause VTE in non-hospitalized individuals.
Safe Medicine Use, Storage, and Disposal
Tens of millions of Americans reach for over-the-counter (OTC) medications for relief of minor aches and pains. But just because they’re OTC doesn’t mean they’re harmless. And with more than 1,000 acetaminophen and NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) containing medications, choosing the right medication can seem overwhelming.
Malnutrition in Older Adults
Malnutrition is a hidden epidemic in the United States and is undertreated and underrecognized. Malnutrition occurs when the body doesn’t get the right balance of nutrients and calories that it needs to stay healthy.
Age-Related Macular Degeneration Campaign
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss in older Americans. This eye disease damages the macula—a small region in the center of the retina, the eye’s light-sensitive tissue. The macula contains millions of cells that give us sharp, central, and color vision—which we use to read, write, watch TV, drive, and do other everyday tasks.
CMS National Coverage Determination (NCD) for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
Many organizations and experts in the patient, provider, and heart center communities feel that the current NCD restricts patient access and creates inequalities. Untreated heart valve disease is fatal and heart valve disease is currently undertreated.
Heart Valve Disease Policy Task Force
The Heart Valve Disease Policy Task Force is a coalition of organizations advocating for policy solutions that improve access, research, and awareness on heart valve disease detection and treatment.
Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia (PSVT)
Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) is a type of arrhythmia—or irregular heart rhythm—that affects around 1.7 million Americans—a number that is likely low because the condition is often difficult to diagnose.
Neuropsychiatric Symptoms
Diseases and injuries that damage the brain can impact how we interact with the world and lead to significant and disabling behavioral and psychological symptoms—also referred to as neuropsychiatric symptoms. Those neuropsychiatric symptoms that lead to mood and emotional changes are the symptoms that almost no one talks about, but they are common in Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis; and brain tumors, infections, and injuries.
Alzheimer’s Disease Policy Task Force
The Alzheimer’s Disease Policy Task Force is an ad hoc coalition of patient, family caregiver, and professional organizations, working collectively to organize and educate the Alzheimer’s disease community and decisionmakers on the Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) Accelerated Approval pathway, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) coverage determination processes for amyloid-targeted monoclonal antibody therapies for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Drug Pricing
One of the long-term goals of the healthcare sector has been transitioning from a system that rewards value rather than volume of provided services. The Alliance believes that patients should be at the forefront of discussions on how care should be valued.
Talk NERDY
The Talk NERDY (Nurturing Engagement in Research and Development with You) program empowers older adults, their family caregivers, clinicians, and health researchers to learn about patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) and how we can all work together to develop – and implement – research that answers the questions that matter most to patients.
Aging in Motion
The Aging in Motion (AIM) Coalition is a diverse group of patient, caregiver, health and aging groups working together to press for greater levels of research and innovation to develop treatments in the area of sarcopenia and age-related functional decline.