Tufts Health Plan announced it has been named the No. 1 fundraising team in Massachusetts and No. 5 in the country for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
The Watertown-based company sent out the following announcement:
More than 150 Tufts Health Plan employees and family members walked to end Alzheimer’s last month, raising a combined $160,000 that included a match from the Tufts Health Plan Foundation. The money will go toward advancing research and supporting those living with the disease.
“My father had Alzheimer’s, so I know how valuable the Association’s support services are,” said Tom Croswell, Tufts Health Plan’s president and chief operating officer.
Earlier this year, Croswell was also appointed chair of the Alzheimer’s Association’s Massachusetts/New Hampshire chapter. “I’m very proud of the tremendous creativity, passion, and generosity of Tufts Health Plan’s walk teams, and the outstanding effort that everyone put forth.”
“Our employees never cease to amaze me,” said Tufts Health Plan CEO Jim Roosevelt, who serves on the Tufts Health Plan Foundation board of directors. “They demonstrate a commitment to improving the health and wellness of our communities every day — in their work, in their community engagement, and through their generous contributions. It’s an honor to support their efforts and the work of those who are changing the course of this disease.”
Tufts Health Plan serves one of the largest populations of older adults in New England and a significant percentage of its members are affected by Alzheimer’s. Its integrated care management program offers a dedicated dementia care coordinator to members with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. More than 800 Tufts Health Plan members have been referred for education and support since the program was launched two years ago. The program also provides assistance to Tufts Health Plan employees by giving guidance about care planning for a loved one and information on community support programs. Currently, more than five million Americans have Alzheimer’s; of those, 164,000 live in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
“Tufts Health Plan’s integrated care management program is the first of its kind in New England,” said Jim Wessler, president and chief executive officer of the Alzheimer’s Association Massachusetts/New Hampshire chapter. “It exemplifies how the values of the company support innovation and compassion. They are a model for other companies.”
Tufts Health Plan teams participated in walks in Andover, Boston, Foxborough, and Worcester. To learn more from Tufts Health Plan’s walk team about why employees support the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, watch this video.