Awareness Raised on Dementia Care Challenges
Lauren Miller Rogen, 22, began to notice subtle changes in her mother, Adele, after graduating from college. It started with small things, like repeating stories about friends. For Lauren, who was stepping in to care for Adele as she battled Alzheimer’s, the signs hinted at a troubling future.
Just two years later, Adele was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at 55. By that time, Lauren had moved to Los Angeles and was dating actor Seth Rogen. When they got married a few years afterward, Adele’s condition had deteriorated. Despite recognizing Lauren as her daughter, her awareness was hazy—she would refer to her as “the bride.” Lauren shared these sentiments in a documentary aimed at highlighting the family difficulties faced when caring for loved ones with dementia.
The strain of Adele’s care weighed heavily on Lauren’s father. “There were moments when we thought he might not make it,” she reflected. Caring for Adele took a significant toll on him. “I can’t imagine what would have happened without outside help,” said Lauren. The couple also engaged with a charitable foundation providing grants to alleviate some of the costs associated with dementia care.
In a video for an organization focused on intergenerational care, Seth discussed the broken healthcare system. He expressed concern over proposed cuts to health programs that support low-income families and the disabled. “These families face struggles every day,” he said, pointing to looming cuts to Medicaid affecting support for millions.
Seth emphasized that reducing essential services for the elderly and disabled only exacerbates their challenges. “This leads to higher out-of-pocket costs and more debt for families,” he noted.
Meanwhile, in Washington, the recent health bill, touted by President Trump, saw a significant reduction—around $600 billion—from Medicaid to finance tax cuts for the wealthy.
This measure could potentially cut off approximately 10 million people from Medicaid—a vital program for many low-income Americans and those with disabilities. It also imposes restrictions on taxes that support healthcare providers, which could directly impact Medicaid patients. Furthermore, it introduces penalties for states like California that provide health insurance to undocumented immigrants.
The situation in California is further complicated by additional cuts proposed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the state’s Medicaid program.
About 25% of the five million Americans living with dementia depend on Medicaid, the largest payer for long-term care. It’s crucial for caregivers, as roughly 12% of recipients can’t work due to family caregiving responsibilities. The legislative changes could jeopardize their access to critical programs, imposing work requirements on healthy adults under 65 to qualify for Medicaid.
“We’re a powerful collective, whether or not people realize how many individuals depend on Medicaid,” Lauren stated in the video.
“It’s vital to oppose cuts and reforms that weaken support systems and to increase our focus on families that deserve this attention,” added Seth, emphasizing the need for advocacy at both state and federal levels.
