Survey research guiding public policy making in Maryland: the case of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders.

The Maryland Governor's Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders conducted a comprehensive 18-month assessment of the extent of dementing illness in Maryland, the needs of Maryland dementia victims and their families, and the availability of resources to meet these needs. A major tool in this assessment was a series of 16 specially designed surveys which were sent to physicians, family caregivers, nursing homes, geriatric aide training programs, and other populations. The survey findings, along with hearing testimony, provided the basis for the Task Force's 18 principal and 35 further recommendations, published in the Maryland Report on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders (Governor's Task Force, 1985). These recommendations have become the basis of public policy discussion for services to dementia victims and their families in Maryland.