Dr. Jolie Crowder participated in a panel on Monday featuring three @CDC Healthy Brain Initiative grantees including speakers Dr. Beth Marks and Jason Resendez. Resendez, with USAgainst Alzheimer’s, leads a project focused on African American, Black and Hispanic populations. Dr. Marks is leading a team focused on brain health for people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Panelists presented the successes and challenges in year one and their vision for their future work in this space.
Dr. Crowder highlighted year one project achievements for healthy brain grant activities focused on American Indian and Alaska Native people that include:
- Multidisciplinary advisory group
- Results from an asset mapping effort
- New website: www.AIANBrainHealth.org
- Engagement at the National Indian Council on Aging’s elders conference
Noted challenges include:
- COVID-19
- Identifying and responding to diverse needs among 574 sovereign tribal nations
- Capacity and methods to reach urban Indians
- Technology access barriers
Short term project goals include:
- Meaningful assessment of tribal and Alaska Native community needs related to Alzheimer’s, dementia and memory issues
- Continued focus on capacity building and authentic engagement
- Growth of the IA2 Dementia Friends for American Indian and Alaska Native communities
- Developing a systematic approach to cultural adaptation of resources
Long term project goals outlined by Crowder and the IA2 team includes:
- Unified national tribal leadership statement on Alzheimer’s, dementia and memory issues
- Increased awareness and diagnostic capacity in tribal and urban Indian populations
- Improved internal capacity for storytelling connected to indigenous cultures and and effort to increase
