Boston Mayor Walsh and the Alzheimer's Association, Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter, Receive Alzheimer's Readiness Award

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Sep 15, 2016, 12:15 ET

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BOSTON, Sept. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Alzheimer's Association, Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter were recognized today for their efforts to ensure the city of Boston is prepared for the fiscal and social impact of Alzheimer's disease.

The Alzheimer's Readiness Award was presented to Mayor Walsh and James Wessler, CEO of the Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, on behalf of the Alzheimer's Readiness Project, an initiative of Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) committed to inspiring action by fostering a deeper understanding of Alzheimer's, its evolving science and the public health crisis it poses. The award recognizes their collaborative efforts to partner across government, healthcare and advocacy organizations to develop action plans that prepare the city to effectively address the growing crisis of Alzheimer's disease.

"Mayor Walsh has been a visionary leader, preparing his city to better meet the challenges that Alzheimer's disease presents to communities from the financial, societal and system perspectives," said Phyllis Ferrell, vice president and head of Lilly's Global Alzheimer's Disease Platform Team. "The partnership between the Mayor and the Association has created a model that could be replicated across the country. By uniting patients, families, and caregivers with health care professionals and community leaders, they have ensured comprehensive planning and services can be available in Boston."

In 2014, Mayor Walsh founded the Boston Alzheimer's Initiative and made Boston the first major city to join the Alzheimer's Workplace Alliance, providing support and education to thousands of city workers whose families were affected by the disease. In partnership with the Alzheimer's Association, the city has trained more than 300 emergency medical responders (EMS) to recognize the signs and behavior of individuals with Alzheimer's, and how to best refer them to proper care and services. In addition, the city recently launched its first 'Memory Cafe,' a place where individuals with memory loss and their caretakers can meet in a safe, social environment to share resources and support one another.

"It is an honor to receive this award from Lilly and the Alzheimer's Readiness Project, both leaders in raising awareness and offering support to those most impacted by Alzheimer's," said Mayor Walsh. "I understand the toll Alzheimer's takes on a family, and the love and patience that is required to care for someone with the disease, which is why I'm proud of the work we're doing in the city of Boston. I look forward to continuing our work in the city to offer our residents the best services and support to those impacted by the disease."

"Alzheimer's is becoming a major health care challenge not only for the families impacted, but for our community all together," said Jim Wessler, President and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association, Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter. "Our vision is a world without Alzheimer's. Until we reach that vision, it is important to have the best minds working together to provide support and resources."

Ferrell noted that "Lilly has been continuously working toward identifying meaningful solutions to help those living with Alzheimer's disease and their families. We're hopeful that by helping organizations work together to identify the issues and challenges within their communities, we'll play our part in tackling Alzheimer's disease."

About the Alzheimer's Readiness Project
The mission of the Alzheimer's Readiness Project is to inspire action by fostering a deeper understanding of Alzheimer's, its evolving science, and the public health crisis it poses. Through outreach, events, and partnerships, the Project strives to be an important voice in the global Alzheimer's disease conversation, elevating awareness of the need for and value of advancements in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. For more information, please visit www.alzreadinessproject.com.

About Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is a fatal illness that causes progressive decline in memory and other aspects of cognition. It is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60 to 80 percent of dementia cases.^1,2 There are currently an estimated 47 million people living with dementia worldwide.¹ The number of people affected by dementia is expected to be more than 75 million in 2030 and 132 million in 2050.¹ Estimates vary, but experts suggest that as many as 5.4 million Americans may have Alzheimer's disease.³

About Eli Lilly and Company
Lilly is a global health care leader that unites caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, visit us at www.lilly.com and newsroom.lilly.com/social-channels.

About the Alzheimer's Association Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter
The Alzheimer's Association, with headquarters in Watertown, has regional offices in Springfield, Raynham, and Worcester, MA and Bedford, NH. The Alzheimer's Association provides services and programs for those with Alzheimer's, family and professional caregivers in the form of support groups, a 24/7 Helpline, care consultation, advocacy efforts, research funding and education programs. For more information visit alz.org/MANH or call 800-272-3900.

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¹ Alzheimer's Disease International. Dementia statistics. http://www.alz.co.uk/research/statistics. Accessed February 2016.
² Alzheimer's Association. What Is Dementia? http://www.alz.org/what-is-dementia.asp. Published January 2016. Accessed February 2016.
³ Alzheimer's Association. 2016 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures Report. Available at http://www.alz.org/documents_custom/2016-facts-and-figures.pdf. Accessed May 2016.