U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln to Receive Alzheimer's Association's Humanitarian Award

Alzheimer's Association
Sunday, 30 March 2003

U.S. Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) received the 2003 Alzheimer's Association's Humanitarian Award at the 15th Annual Alzheimer's Public Policy Forum, March 31.

"Senator Lincoln is an Alzheimer advocate," stated Sheldon Goldberg, president and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association. "Through a combination of her work on the Finance and Aging Committees and her own personal experiences as a family caregiver, Senator Lincoln has been a consistent, strong voice on behalf of families."

Senator Lincoln is leading efforts in the United States Senate to improve Medicare coverage for beneficiaries with Alzheimer's and other chronic diseases. She is the principal sponsor of the "Geriatric Care Act" and has promoted coverage of adult day care as a key part of treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Among her first accomplishments as a U.S. Senator was the passage of legislation to guarantee that individuals do not have to impoverish themselves when a spouse enters a nursing home.

"There are plenty of reasons to honor Senator Lincoln. We are recognizing her for her passionate advocacy on behalf of the most vulnerable elderly, including people with Alzheimer's disease," Goldberg said. "Senator Lincoln is a role model for striking an effective balance between public service and family life. She knows what is important to families."

The daughter of a seventh-generation farm family from Helena, Ark., Lincoln made history in 1998 when she became the youngest woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate. She is the second woman from Arkansas to win a U.S. Senate seat, and in 2001, she became the third woman in history to serve on the Senate Finance Committee.

"Since she first came to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1993, Senator Lincoln has emerged as a leader in Washington, a person who approaches policy-making with good, old-fashioned common sense," Goldberg said. "She quickly established herself as someone who can reach consensus across party lines and get results."

"As the Association continues to work toward creating a world without Alzheimer's disease, we are grateful for Senator Lincoln's support, friendship and advocacy," Goldberg stated. "On behalf of the 4 million people who have Alzheimer's disease, the 19 million family members who are caring for them, and the tens of millions of us who face a future with dementia until we find the answers, it is my pleasure to present the 2003 Humanitarian Award to Senator Blanche Lincoln."

For more information, or to contact Alzheimer's Association, see their website at: www.alz.org