Pat Summitt Foundation charts new course to close gaps in Alzheimer’s care

We’re testing a new audio feature on KnoxTNToday! We’d love your feedback.

🎧 Listen to this article

Pat Summitt spent her career teaching players to face challenges with determination, preparation and teamwork. Fifteen years after the creation of the foundation bearing her name, that philosophy continues to guide efforts to help families facing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

The Pat Summitt Foundation marked its 15th anniversary Nov. 5 with a Knoxville luncheon, announcing a new five-year strategic plan and releasing a report examining the growing gap between advances in Alzheimer’s treatment and families’ ability to access care.

For East Tennessee families navigating a dementia diagnosis, those gaps can mean long waits for specialists, difficulty finding support and the emotional and financial challenges of providing daily care.

“Pat understood that caring about something wasn’t enough. You had to be willing to do something about it,” said Morgan Vance, executive director of the Pat Summitt Foundation.

“As we look ahead to the next five years, our strategic plan gives us a clearer framework for how we can help address the challenges facing individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s.”

The growing challenge for families

The foundation’s new white paper, Alzheimer’s Disease and the Growing Concern: Rising Gaps in Diagnosis, Treatment and Access to Care, identifies obstacles that can prevent patients from receiving timely diagnosis and treatment.

According to figures cited in the report, more than 7.4 million Americans age 65 and older were living with Alzheimer’s disease in 2025.

More than 12 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The estimated economic value of that care reached $446 billion in 2025.

The challenges are especially significant in rural communities, where families may have limited access to neurologists, memory-care specialists and emerging treatments.

Although medical research continues to produce new diagnostic tools and therapies, the foundation warns that scientific progress alone cannot solve the problem.

Families also need access to trained healthcare professionals, coordinated medical services and practical assistance with everyday caregiving responsibilities.

A Knoxville clinic with a far-reaching impact

One of the foundation’s most significant investments has been its partnership with the University of Tennessee Medical Center.

The foundation has contributed more than $3 million to the medical center, helping establish the Pat Summitt Clinic in 2017.

The multidisciplinary clinic provides diagnosis and treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.

According to the foundation, the clinic has cared for more than 33,000 patients from 29 states.

That reach demonstrates the demand for specialized dementia services and the importance of making similar care more accessible to families who cannot easily travel to Knoxville.

Helping the people who provide the care

The foundation also recognizes that caring for someone with dementia extends well beyond medical appointments.

Family caregivers often become responsible for managing medications, coordinating appointments, addressing safety concerns, making financial decisions and providing increasing levels of personal assistance.

In 2024, the foundation launched Pat’s Gameplan, a free online resource offering guidance on legal and financial planning, nutrition, safety and other caregiving concerns.

The foundation has committed more than $1 million to expanding access to these resources. According to its anniversary report, the website has received more than 1 million visits in less than two years.

Families can explore the resources at Pat’s Gameplan.

Since 2019, the foundation also has invested another $2 million in organizations supporting patients and caregivers throughout the Southeast, with an estimated reach of more than 85,000 people.

Four priorities for the next five years

The foundation’s newly announced strategic plan focuses on four areas:

• Clinical care and access: Explore opportunities to expand specialized dementia services, including the Pat Summitt Clinic model, and identify underserved communities.
• Caregiver support: Strengthen practical resources that help families navigate the challenges of dementia care.
• Clinical education and workforce development: Support training that helps healthcare professionals recognize, diagnose and treat Alzheimer’s and related conditions.
• Growth and collaboration: Develop partnerships that expand the foundation’s reach and increase its impact.

The plan outlines priorities rather than announcing specific new clinic locations or opening dates.

“A breakthrough matters only when people have a meaningful opportunity to benefit from it,” Vance said. “Our goal is to make investments that meet real needs, strengthen care and support, and contribute to progress that reaches beyond any single community.”

Continuing Pat’s legacy

Pat Summitt and her son, Tyler, established the foundation following her Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

The legendary University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach brought national attention to the disease by speaking publicly about her diagnosis and the importance of confronting it.

Her legacy now extends beyond basketball championships and the thousands of people influenced by her coaching career.

Through clinical investments, caregiver education and partnerships, the foundation continues working to improve life for people affected by Alzheimer’s disease.

For families facing the uncertainty of dementia, that work represents something practical: better information, stronger support and the possibility of receiving needed care closer to home.

The foundation’s anniversary is both a reflection on 15 years of accomplishments and a recognition that much work remains.

Readers can learn more about the foundation’s findings and its plans for the future by reading the full report, Alzheimer’s Disease and the Growing Concern: Rising Gaps in Diagnosis, Treatment and Access to Care.