FLORIDA — The proposed legislation is making its way through both the Florida Senate and the House that would create a more uniform standard of dementia training for staff at both long-term care facilities and home health care situations.

Melissa Wos has become an advocate for both proposals after experiencing firsthand the hardships of finding care for her mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease eight years ago. 

“It’s devastating to watch her go through this because she was the caregiver, she was the homemaker,” Wos said.

Was said the disease has progressed to the point where the 82-year-old needs around-the-clock care. While her wife handles most of it, Wos said getting any respite has been tough.

“We’ve had a lot of caregivers come in and say yes I understand how to care for someone with Alzheimer's and about a week later run away saying I don’t know how to handle any of this,” Was said, adding that the family has gone through about two dozen caregivers in the last three years.

This is why Wos has become a very vocal advocate for Senate Bill 634 and House Bill 309, which is meant to create a training standard for long-term care and home health care workers on how to handle patients with dementia, including Alzheimer’s Disease.  

“How to turn the person, how to bathe them safely,” Wos said. “What it looks like when they start progressing in the disease.” 

Was calls it common-sense legislation that would not only help her mother but more than half a million people living with Alzheimer’s Disease across the state.

“They’re our elders,” said Wos. “They’re the ones who raised us, they’re the ones who showed us what it was like to go out in the world and live, and now they need our help.”

Both proposals are supported by the Florida Alzheimer’s Association and are considered one of the organization’s main priorities this legislative session.