Law enforcement and corrections officers in Florida now are required to undergo training on how to interact with people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
Florida House Bill 801 went into effect Oct. 1 and requires the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to partner with the state Department of Elder Affairs to develop online training for officers.
The law establishes an online, continued employment training component relating to dementia. The training will include recognizing behavioral symptoms and characteristics, effective communication, using alternatives to physical restraints, and identifying signs of abuse, neglect or exploitation.
Completion of the training will count toward the 40 hours of instruction required for continued employment as a law enforcement officer, correctional officer or correctional probation officer.
The Sunshine State had the second highest prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in the nation as of 2021, with 580,000 Floridians aged 65 or more years having it, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. That number is projected to increase to 720,000 by 2025.
Forty-seven percent of assisted living residents in Florida have a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, according to the National Center for Assisted Living.
Virginia adopted a similar dementia training law for first responders in July. California recently adopted a similar law that goes into effect Jan. 1, 2026, that requires enforcement to be training in preventing and responding to wandering people who have Alzheimer’s, dementia or autism.
