June is Alzheimer's and Brain Health Awareness Month. This month it is especially important to consider ways that you can reduce your risk of developing diseases like dementia. You can check out this web feature created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to view information and tips on ways to improve your brain health. What will you do this June to improve your brain health?
In June, the IA2 brain health team continues its busy run. Special highlights from this month include:
Be sure to follow our Facebook page for campaigns and resources we invite you to borrow for your own social media and newsletters-- and please share within your circle to help us spread the word.
Dr. Jolie Crowder and others from the IA2 team virtually attended the Alzheimer's Association Addressing Health Disparities conference on June 21 and 22 to present various posters and even a lightning round presentation. The conference attracted over 100 in-person participants and almost 1000 virtual participants from across the country representing various public health, academic, research, and other organizations.
Dr. Jolie Crowder was able to attend the BOLD Public Health Center of Excellence on Dementia Caregiving two-day National Conference, The Public Health Opportunities and Challenges of Dementia Caregiving, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Other members of the IA2 team were able to attend virtually.
We continue virtual pilots of Dementia Friends for American Indian and Alaska Native Communities information session and Dementia Friends Champions training. In May we unveiled a new PowerPoint presentation to accompany learning modules and are in the process of adjusting scripted content. Learn more below about upcoming opportunities below. You can become a Dementia Friends Champion for your community and bring these engaging community info sessions to your tribe.
Check out our release recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day or WEAAD. Did you know that up to 80% of people with dementia are victims of abuse? On June 15, the world takes an opportunity to recognize the more than one million Americans age 65 or older who have suffered abuse. Be sure to check out the release to learn what steps you can take to make a difference!
Check us out on Twitter for future campaigns and social media messages we invite you to borrow and re-use.
IA2 continues to offerprint-on-demand stipends of $250 for flyers and posters from the IA2, ASTHO, and National Council for Urban Indian Health (NCUIH) suite of materials developed with funding from the CDC.
Click hereto read our Resource Center updates, learn about our upcoming events, and what we've been doing to help American Indian and Alaska Native communities address brain health, Alzheimer's, and dementia.
Community Care Corps has released the2022-2023 Request for Proposals (RFP) for innovative local models in which volunteers provide nonmedical assistance to family caregivers, older adults or adults with disabilities in order to maintain their independence.
The RFP is now available for download and can be accessed by clicking the RFP button on the HOME page or by clicking the DOWNLOAD RFP button on the RFP page. Also available for download on the RFP page are the required budget, budget narrative and work plan templates.
The application portal will be open for submission May 23, 2022-July 8, 2022.
The meeting agenda highlighted the statistics surrounding dementia and caregiving experiences and included time for participants to discuss the needs and priorities of New Mexico tribal communities on the topic. Attendees learned about the early signs and risk factors associated with dementia and heard experiences from a local healthcare provider and community members (e.g., tribal leaders, national and community advocates).
Encouraged by Dr. Tassy Parker, Micah Clark (Navajo Nation, specialist at the Center) teamed up with Anthony Boone (CDC fellow at the Center) to produce a lively, mutually informative web-based meeting. The event attracted tribal members from across the state.
Micah shared the meeting background: "As a Center, we have a mission to prevent chronic disease; to which we have added activities in Alzheimer's disease and related dementia in just the past few years. With deep experience with cardiovascular disease in tribal communities and understanding its risk factors linked to dementia, this web-based meeting seemed a natural fit."
The work started by convening a planning committee comprised of individuals from tribal communities, the affiliated medical center, Alzheimer's Association, state tribal affairs office, and the International Association for Indigenous Aging's brain health team. The committee was asked to generate their own themes, topics, and speaker suggestions based on what they believed the local community's learning needs were.
Planning ran from November 2021 to the event in April 2022, and COVID continued to be a factor in planning. "We had to adapt to the speed bumps from COVID issues, but we had the bonus that in the COVID era, we had learned a lot about technology barriers," according to Anthony.
Ensuring active community engagement for meeting participants required creativity, and flexibility in delivering meeting content. This included setting up watch parties, participants joining by cell phone and not computers, and providing easy access to meeting materials via mail. "Albuquerque has a great internet signal, but we have mountains and distance to conquer and some truly frontier communities to serve," said Boone.
Given the number of persons signing on with just cell phone, speakers were asked to create simple PowerPoints and avoid jargon and technical language. The program was also designed with frequent breaks with energizers - including chair yoga - to emphasize the brain health/heart health connections.
The planning committee addressed information needs by consulting experts such as the Alzheimer's Association and the Banner Health Alzheimer's clinic.
Participants also engaged in small breakout groups, making up about half of the meeting day. in the first discussion session, they were encouraged to discuss their own experiences with dementia and related caregiving. The second session focused on the Road Map for Indian Country action items, asking participants to provide feedback on the action items' relevance to their community. The second discussion session was also used to get a sense of the biggest priorities for community action.
Many were looking for inspiration, not just for information. Regis Pecos (former governor, Cochiti Pueblo) addressed the values underlying tribal action on dementia, including honoring elders as keepers of wisdom and culture.
The next steps include a summary report for participants and the broader community and a continued effort to connect to activities such as the NEAR grant, which provided some of the support for this event.
You can view the resources that were used by clicking below:
Research – Training Proves Increased Provider Comfort in Assessing Dementia & Other Geriatric Syndromes; Infusing Geriatrics in Indian Health Service General Primary Care
Dr. Josea Kramer with the VA Greater Los Angeles Health System and UCLA school of medicine is lead author on a study that reports evaluation findings from the Rural Inter-disciplinary Team Training (RITT) provided to Indian Health Service (IHS) and tribal health programs. The RITT training is offered to IHS and tribal providers as part of an educational collaboration to support health care staff training.
Results show statistically significant improvements in all health care staff’s
self-reported ability to recognize potential risks to elders’ health and safety,
increased comfort conducting geriatric assessments, and
improved confidence in team-based communications.
Qualitative findings indicate health care providers intention to improve team-based care practices. Training participants included in the study included physicians (10), nurses (22), pharmacists (9), rehab therapists (3), social workers (3), and dieticians (4).
The article outlines multiple revisions made to the traditional VA-RITT training to make is more user-friendly and appropriate for IHS and tribal health staff. For example, revised IHS-RITT training includes a learning objective to help health care staff learn how to identify geriatric “red flags,” the number of case studies was reduced, and theory-driven content was replaced with practice-based content. IHS-RITT content on dementia was changed to include videos specific to the population and incorporate discussions of syndrome and cognitive disorder recognition in the context of local tribal cultures.
Brain Health Advisory Group Feature: Collette Adamsen
We are honored to feature Dr. Collette Adamsen as this month’s Brain Health Advisory Group Member Feature.
Collette is originally from Belcourt, North Dakota, and is an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. Since 2017, Dr. Adamsen has served as the director of the National Resource Center on Native American Aging (NRCNAA) at the Center for Rural Health (CRH) at the University of North Dakota (UND) School Medicine and Health Sciences in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Growing up, Collette shared that the support she received from her grandparents and other elders in the community was extremely important to her. As a result, she dedicated herself to giving back and working with native communities and elders.
Collette reflected on how meaningful it is to listen to and visit elders from many communities, including her own, “being guided by elders allows us the opportunity to learn from their knowledge and wisdom.”
Before joining the Center for Rural Health, Collette received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in Health Administration, and a Doctorate in Educational Foundations and Research from the University of North Dakota.
We asked her why she joined the IA²’s Brain Health Advisory Group. She shared how rewarding it is working with multiple tribes and organizations that all come together to better the lives of elders in communities. With so much information and education needed,
Collette noted, “helping to be part of a group of trailblazers in finding ways to identify strategies and solutions to help elders, families, and caregivers who are affected by dementia is important and needed.” Check out Collette’s related article titled “The Association of Cultural Participation and Social Engagement with Self-Reported Diagnosis of Memory Problems Among American Indian and Alaska Native Elders.” The article examines the association of cultural participation and social engagement with older American Indians and Alaska Natives with self-reported diagnoses of memory problems.
Checklist: Next steps after an Alzheimer's diagnosis
Receiving a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease can be difficult. However, having information that is accurate and a strong support system can help with what to expect and what to do as the disease progresses.
The National Institute on Aging continues to share helpful information on dementia research, living with dementia, clinical trials, and research. These resources provide information for both caregivers and those living with dementia or dementia like symptoms.
Dementia Friends for American Indian and Alaska Native Communities in June
It was another successful month for IA² and Dementia Friends! We now have a total of 31 tribes affiliated with Dementia Friends for American Indian and Alaska Native Communities. Overall, we have a total of 108 Dementia Friends who have participated in an information session and 32 trained Dementia Friends Champions.
We are excited to continue to offer Dementia Friends pilot trainings. This allows American Indian and Alaska Native Champions to bring Information Sessions to their communities.
We strive to create culturally relevant content by embracing American Indian and Alaska Native community values. IA2 continuous to convene with a workgroup to consider changes to the content to improve readability and health literacy and identify additional resource needs to complement the initial training.
If you are interested in learning more about the Dementia Friends Initiative, participating in a review of the materials, piloting the training content, or attending an upcoming session, please visit our Dementia Friends page by clicking here.
About Dementia Friends: Dementia Friends is a global movement that aims to change the way people view dementia. By educating communities about what dementia is and how it affects people, we can all make a difference for people affected by dementia. This program has been adapted specifically for American Indian and Alaska Native individuals and communities. Dementia Friends will aid in spreading awareness, reducing stigma, and reducing risk in tribes, urban-Indian communities, and Alaska Native communities.
WeCareAdvisor Study - Tribal Dementia Caregivers Needed
Researchers are looking for family and friends who are caring for someone living with dementia to participate in a nationwide study.
The WeCareAdvisor is an online tool and app to help caregivers manage dementia-related behaviors.
WeCareAdvisor walks caregivers through a step-by-step approach to understanding why dementia behaviors may be occurring and then provides customized suggestions to help with managing them.
This research is led by Dr. Laura N. Gitlin of Drexel University and Dr. Helen C. Kales of University of California, Davis and their research teams.
Download WeCare Advisor materials and information below:
The Indian Health Service announced the availability of $5 million to target resources directly to tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian organizations, and IHS direct service facilities to address Alzheimer’s disease within tribal communities. Eligible tribes, tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations can now apply.
The application deadline is July 18.
IHS hosted a webinar on Tuesday, May 17, from 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm ET, to learn more about the components and requirements for completing a successful Alzheimer’s grant application. The webinar also shares best practices, tips, and tricks to successfully manage an Alzheimer’s grant.
IHS is also excited to share new Alzheimer's Information and Resources website. Click below to visit their site or learn more about funding opportunities.
With the ongoing COVID-19 emergence it is the hopes of the Coalition to continue to recognize the needs of elders and to keep the most vulnerable community members safe.
To help promote the the Coallition on Urban Indian Aging is creating flyers to encourage elders age 55 and older to participate and complete the survey on their mobile phone.
The So' Tsoh Foundation to present Dementia Friends!
About this event The So' Tsoh Foundation is pleased to present Dementia Friends for American Indian and Alaska Native Communities. Join of our newest trained Champions as she takes Dementia Friends to her community!
Dementia Friends is a global movement that is changing the way people think, act, and talk about dementia.
Developed by the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom, the Dementia Friends movement is now spreading through Arizona. By helping everyone in a community understand what dementia is and how it affects people, each of us can make a difference for people touched by dementia. Certificate of Participation given.
In this session you will:
Get a general understanding of what dementia is
Learn the most common type of dementia
Focus on adopting a mindset to create a dementia-friendly and inclusive community
Understand five key messages about dementia
Learn tips for communicating with people with dementia
Choose an action step that you will take as part of becoming a Dementia Friend
We're here to SUPPORT the CAREGIVER
If you need help, please don't hesitate to contact The So' Tsoh Foundation at 505-608-0540 and check out their website @sotsohfoundation.org and social media @SoTsohFoundation Facebook/Instagram/Twitter
Eight Modifiable Risk Factors Account for More Than One-Third of Alzheimer's Cases
More than one-third of Alzheimer’s cases in the United States can be attributed to eight modifiable risk factors, according to across-sectional studyshared on the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). The report examined the status of 8 potential modifiable risk factors for ADRD among adults 45 years and older including
high blood pressure,
not meeting the aerobic physical activity guideline,
obesity,
diabetes,
depression,
current cigarette smoking,
hearing loss, and
binge drinking.
Of the eight risk factors analyzed, midlife obesity, low educational attainment, and physical inactivity are the most prominent causes. The new study also found that the strongest association between risk factors and the number of individuals with Alzheimer’s differs by race and ethnicity. Midlife obesity has the strongest association for Black, White, and Native Americans. For Hispanics, the greatest association is low educational attainment; and for Asian Americans, it is physical inactivity. Implementing evidence-based strategies that address modifiable risk factors can help achieve the National Plan's new goal to reduce risk of ADRD while promoting healthy aging.
“What I have come to realize is that much of this impact is not caused by the changes occurring in the brain but how people with Alzheimer’s disease are treated by others. It comes from what we think it means to be a person and what we think it means to not be a person.”
Watch this new, compelling Ted Talk by Susan Frick as she expresses the need for a National Conversation surrounding Alzheimer's Disease and ways that you can take action in your community.
Loneliness, Alzheimer's Disease and the Need for a National Conversation
Susan Frick
Connect & share with other American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Contact us to share Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and brain health community news, resources, information, and promising practices happening in your community or others.
Brain health e-News for and by American Indian and Alaska Native communities.
This e-news is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $348,711 with 90 percent funded by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.
Growing up, Collette shared that the support she received from her grandparents and other elders in the community was extremely important to her. As a result, she dedicated herself to giving back and working with native communities and elders.
The Coalition on Urban Indian Aging plans to offer Elders the option of completing the 
