State Rep. Eddie Lumsden (R-Armuchee), who represents all of Chattooga County and a portion of Floyd County in the Georgia House, has introduced a bill that would provide training for first responders dealing with Alzheimer’s and dementia patients. 

Dozens of Georgia Alzheimer’s Association advocates gathered at the State Capitol to meet with lawmakers. They wore purple shirts and aimed to promote a new bill. The proposed legislation would create an optional course for Georgia first responders that includes topics such as interacting with individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, recognizing dementia symptoms, effective communication, using alternatives to physical restraints, and identifying signs of abuse or neglect.

House Bill 238, sponsored Lumsden – a former Georgia State Trooper, has been assigned to a committee but has not yet been voted on. The bill would require the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council to collaborate with the Division of Aging Services to develop the coursework.

John Clark from Georgia Emergency Search and Rescue emphasized the importance of training, noting that many individuals with dementia wander off, sometimes with tragic outcomes.