Families Face Delays for Dementia Diagnoses

Why it matters locally: While no specific data on dementia diagnosis delays for Alaska is available, the national trend of extended wait times for medical assessments would likely affect families across the state, given the general challenges in accessing healthcare in remote and rural areas.

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Hundreds of families have encountered delays of several months to multiple years in obtaining a dementia diagnosis for a loved one. These families reported the extended wait times as they sought official medical assessments for individuals exhibiting symptoms consistent with dementia.