ATLANTA – On Wednesday, Department of Human Services Commissioner Robyn A. Crittenden announced that Victoria Helmly will serve as Georgia’s first Alzheimer’s disease and Related Dementias State Plan coordinator.
 
Helmly, a native of Savannah, will help execute Georgia’s Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias State Plan and coordinate plans to improve services to those affected by dementia.
 
The Georgia Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias State Plan is the state’s blueprint for improving dementia prevention and treatment, access to community services, developing family support and increasing public awareness of dementia.
 
The plan focuses on five areas of need: healthcare, research, and data collection; workforce development; service delivery; public safety; outreach and partnerships.
 
The state plan is the work of an advisory council comprised of legislators, state agency leadership and advisers in a variety of fields and seeks to prepare the state to support the growing number of residents affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
 
Between 2006 and 2012, the number of people at risk for developing dementia grew by 22 percent in Georgia.
 
“Georgia must be vigilant in furthering efforts to support our at-risk populations,” Crittenden said. “I am proud to have Victoria at the helm as we continue to explore and implement measures that will safeguard vulnerable Georgians and support families affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementias.”
 
For more information on the Georgia Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias State Plan, visit https://aging.georgia.gov/georgia-alzheimers-disease-related-dementias-state-plan.
  
Victoria Helmly
Victoria Helmly is a native of Savannah, Ga., and currently resides in Atlanta. She earned her Masters of Social Work and a graduate certificate in gerontology from Georgia State University. She has previously worked as a Graduate Research Assistant in the Gerontology Institute at Georgia State. As an active volunteer for the Georgia chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, she has experience working to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research and promotion of brain health, and to enhance care and support for all individuals, their families and caregivers.