About the ADEAR Center

• Who We Are
  
  
• Our Services
  
  
• ADEAR Customer Service Standards
  
  
• Donations

Who We Are

The U.S. Congress created the Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR) Center in 1990 to "compile, archive, and disseminate information concerning Alzheimer's disease" for health professionals, people with AD and their families, and the public. The ADEAR Center is operated as a service of the National Institute on Aging (NIA), one of the Federal Government's National Institutes of Health and part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NIA conducts and supports research about health issues for older people, and is the primary Federal agency for Alzheimer's disease research.

As a public, U.S. Government-funded resource, the ADEAR Center strives to be a current, comprehensive, unbiased source of information about AD. All our information and materials about the search for causes, treatment, cures, and better diagnostic tools are carefully researched and thoroughly reviewed by NIA scientists and health communicators for accuracy and integrity. Individuals and organizations can make donations to the National Institute on Aging to be used specifically for Alzheimer’s disease research and educational activities. For more information about how and where to send donations, please click here.

Our Services

The ADEAR Center has a staff of Information Specialists available to assist you with:

• Answers to your specific questions about AD
• Free publications about AD symptoms, diagnosis, related disorders, risk factors, treatment, caregiving tips, home safety tips, and research
• Referrals to local supportive services and AD Centers that specialize in research and diagnosis
• Spanish language resources
• Clinical trials information
• Literature database searches for further research and reading
• Training materials, guidelines, and a newsletter for health care and caregiving professionals

ADEAR Customer Service Standards

To give you the best possible service, ADEAR Center staff abide by the following customer service standards:

• We will answer your telephone calls promptly between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday. After these hours and on weekends and holidays, you will be able to reach our voice mail system to record your requests for information.
• Our information specialists are courteous, knowledgeable, and helpful. They will listen carefully to your requests and provide you with the most up-to-date information we have on Alzheimer's disease.
• If the information you need is not available from the ADEAR Center, we will refer you to another source of information, such as a national organization or state agency to obtain your answers.
• We will process your telephone requests for printed materials within 3 working days of receipt. You may order publications from us by telephone, by fax, in writing, or via our Web site or e-mail.
• When we produce publications, we will write them in clear and easily understood language and in a helpful format.
• We will make information available through many channels, including our Web site, community organizations, and libraries.

Donations

Can the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral (ADEAR Center) accept donations?

Yes. Although the NIA’s ADEAR Center is a federally funded organization and not a fundraising organization, the U.S. Congress has granted the NIA authority to accept donations and bequests to support its mission. Donations to the NIA are deposited in a gift fund account which is separate from the funding the NIA receives from Congress. We do not solicit funds or participate in fundraising activities.

How are donations used?

For decades, NIA has supported many different projects through its Gift Fund. The following types of activities may be supported through the Gift Fund:

• Research studies, including clinical research in our laboratories
• Producing informational materials about aging, including Alzheimer’s disease, for the general public and health professionals
• Purchase of equipment and supplies for laboratories
• Support of research workshops and conferences
• Funding of research grants

How can someone donate to NIA?

Individuals and organizations can donate to the NIA Gift Fund by sending a check or money order payable to "The National Institute on Aging" or to “NIA” with a letter stating that the money is to be used for research and related activities at NIA. Donations and letters should be addressed to:

National Institute on Aging
Budget Officer, Financial Management Branch
Building 31, Room 2C-06
31 Center Drive, MSC 2285
Bethesda, MD 20892-2540

If you would like your donation to be used specifically for Alzheimer’s disease research and educational activities, please state this in your letter.

If you are considering leaving money to NIA in your will, please provide the address of the National Institute on Aging (above) in the will and indicate that the bequest is to be used to support the mission of the NIA.

How are donations acknowledged?

We acknowledge all donations with a thank you letter to the donor. If you wish to donate money in memory or in honor of someone, please include the name of the person in the accompanying letter. If you wish to have an acknowledgement sent to a third party (such as a family member of the memorialized or honored), please provide all the necessary information including the mailing address.
If someone wishes to leave money to the Institute in their Will, he or she should provide the address of the National Institute on Aging in the Will and indicate the bequest is to be used to support the mission of the NIA.

Are gifts deductible?

Gifts made to NIA are tax deductible as charitable contributions under section 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (Internal Revenue Code). Potential donors should, however, consult with their tax advisors. For tax filing, the NIA tax exempt number is 53-0196960.

Who can I contact for additional Information?

If you have any further questions, please feel free to write to the NIA Office of Financial Management at the address above or call (301) 496-9147.

Back to top