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Upcoming webinar: Wednesday, June 22 — Register Now
Caregiving: Trends and REACH into Indian Country
Long-Term Services and Supports
Technical assistance for culturally competent care
June 2016
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LTSS Training and Technical Assistance Center
Visit the online LTSS TA Center for videos, best practices, toolkits, a resource library, and a step-by-step planning roadmap.
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Two Tactics to Try in Alzheimer’s Care and Prevention
June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, and we thought you might be interested in two new resources on Alzheimer’s prevention and caring for people living with the disease.
• First, a blog post about a no-cost skill already possessed by many Native people that could delay the progress of Alzheimer’s: speaking a second language.
• Next, an interesting new study that demonstrates the health benefits of family-style meals for people with Alzheimer’s.
You may also be interested in a research roundup about Alzheimer’s prevention strategies, including the best foods to eat and avoid. Finally, this month’s LTSS webinar will present information on the Veterans Affairs’ Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer’s Caregiver Health (REACH VA) program, and how it can be implemented in Indian Country. See below for details.
 
  Resources on the LTSS TA Center
 
  Learn more about Alzheimer’s disease and support for caregivers from these webinar recordings:
 
• New — Touching the Spirit Through Music: The Wisconsin Music & Memory Program (February 24, 2016)
• Alzheimer's Disease Services and Supports for Tribal Communities (October 28, 2015)
• Caring for the Caregivers: Using REACH into Indian Country to Support People Caring for Patients with Dementia and Alzheimer's (June 24, 2015)
• REACH Into Indian Country: Support for Dementia Caregivers (January 28, 2015)
Kenaitze Indian Tribe Opens New Tyotkas Elder Center
Image of Tyotkas Elder Center employee serving food to elders
(Photo courtesy of the Kenaitze Indian Tribe)
The Kenaitze Indian Tribe recently opened a new 6,500-square-foot elder center in downtown Kenai, AK. The center, located near the tribe’s Dena’ina Wellness Center, serves more than 145 elders. At Tyotkas, meaning “Auntie’s Place,” elders can eat lunch, socialize, exercise, participate in cultural activities, and access a number of services, including caregiver support, transportation, home visits, abuse and neglect prevention, advocacy, and field trips.
Putting the Control Back in Remote Controls
Image of simplified remote control
Simplified remotes eliminate unnecessary controls.
Television, movies, and music bring people joy, enhance brain function, and connect them to the world. But it can be frustrating when remote controls with a multitude of buttons make operating the TV, DVD player, Roku box, or other entertainment system difficult. Caregivers can help by providing entertainment controls specifically designed for elders and people with disabilities. An article from McKnight’s Marketplace provides helpful guidance on options for more accessible remote technology, such as:
  • Tablet-based apps that can control all entertainment systems in one place
  • Universal remotes that control all systems with one remote
  • Simplified remotes that are easier to grip and have fewer and larger buttons that are easier to see and understand
  • Voice-enabled apps, which work well for those with poor vision or limited dexterity
Explore the options, and find the best remote control system for the people you assist.
Tohono O’odham Celebrates 18th Annual Elders Day
Image of Tohono O’odham celebrates 18th annual Elders Day
Photo: Lee Allen, Indian Country Today Media Network
About 1,000 members of the Tohono O’odham Nation—including two 99-year-olds—celebrated Elders Day on May 14 with song, dance, food, gifts, and ceremony. The annual event, now in its 18th year, started in 1998 with a small Mother’s Day celebration. Because the Nation includes hundreds of miles of remote desert, some elders had to be up at 2 a.m. to make it to the tribe’s Desert Diamond Casino. “Elders may need our help, but we need their help too,” Chairman Edward Manuel told the crowd. “We need to interact with each other and share the collected wisdom.”
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Upcoming Webinar
Caregiving: Trends and REACH into Indian Country
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Join us to learn about the Department of Veterans Affairs' Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer’s Caregiver Health (REACH VA) program, how it supports caregivers of veterans with dementia, and how it can be implemented in Indian Country.
The webinar will:
• Describe current societal and demographic trends affecting caregiving
• Discuss potential effects of caregiving on caregivers
• List characteristics of effective caregiver interventions
• Explain how the basic skills taught in the REACH VA program empower caregivers to improve patient care and caregiver self-care
Learn More
Register
Conference number:
1-888-757-2790
Passcode:
177695
Please note your
location's call-in time:
 8 a.m. Hawaii
10 a.m. Alaska
11 a.m. Pacific
11 a.m. Arizona
12 p.m. Mountain
 1 p.m. Central
 2 p.m. Eastern
Presenters:
Image of Jennifer Martindale-Adams, Ed.D. Jennifer Martindale-Adams, Ed.D.
Caregiver Support Program, Memphis VA Medical Center, University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Image of Linda Olivia Nichols, Ph.D. Linda Olivia Nichols, Ph.D.
Caregiver Support Program, Memphis VA Medical Center, University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Video: Tribal Nursing Homes—Traditional Foods, Traditional Lives
This webinar recording introduces a tribal nursing home collaborative and its work by reviewing foods, ideas, programs, challenges, laws, and recommendations that have influenced and currently affect preparing and serving traditional foods in tribal nursing homes.
 
Image of New LTSS Video Traditional Foods Traditional Lives Video
Additional resources:
Send Us Your News
Do you have news to share about LTSS in Indian Country? Send it to ltss@kauffmaninc.com, and we’ll include it in a newsletter. Contact us with other comments or feedback, too.
About the Newsletter
Long-Term Services and Supports Solutions is published monthly by the Tribal Affairs Division of CMS to share information, funding opportunities, and resources with LTSS planners, tribal leaders, and supporters.
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