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American Indian and Alaska Native Resource Center for Brain Health March E-News

Mary Ann O'Meara·March 30, 2022·0 comments

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The March Brain Health Resource Center In Action

Spring sure is on the way, though it seems winter isn’t going away without a fight.  At least in places that saw both spring-like days AND snow this past weekend and week.

The IA2 brain health team continues our busy days. Special highlights from this month:
In other IA2 news:
  • We are very excited to be welcoming new members to our team! A huge welcome to both Jazmine and Breana. You can read more about them below.
  • Be sure to follow IA2 on social media. You can check us out on Twitter for future campaigns and social media messages we invite you to borrow and re-use.

IA2 continues to offer print-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 here to 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.

Advisory Group Feature: Lucille White, BA (Seneca Nation)

I am an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation (Wolf Clan), and I reside on the Seneca Nation’s Cattaraugus Territory. I am the middle daughter of enrolled Seneca members Ruth (Burr) and Frank Goode.

I am the Director of the Seneca Nation (SN) Community Planning and Development Department, with over 30 years of experience in the areas of administration, organizational development, community and economic development, planning, and grants administration and development. I continuously strive to maintain and further my knowledge of Seneca culture and history in order to assure cultural continuity in future generations. My professional objective is to expand and utilize my experience and knowledge toward success, to serve as a role model to others, and to serve as an instrument in strengthening the Seneca Community.

My experience includes serving as Deputy Director of Planning/Development, with responsibility for several major projects, including Elder Care, Housing Development, the Business Incubator, and Credit Union, to name a few. I currently oversee many developing projects and also supervise approximately 25 professional and support staff members. Previous positions with the Seneca Nation have included Executive Assistant to the Treasurer, Executive Assistant to the President, Administrator for the Council Office, Director of Housing, and founding member and former CEO of the Native American Development Corporation.

I have a long and distinguished history of service with tribal, local, and regional professional and civic organizations. Examples of recent/current service include: almost 10 years on the SN Health Board, several years as Chairperson; almost 20 years in service to the SN Economic Development Company, including serving as Chairperson; more than a decade on the SN Investment Board; founding member and current Secretary/Treasurer of the Seneca Diabetes Foundation;  WNY Consultants Association; Southern Tier West – Regional Development Board; the National Society of Fund Raising Executives, and the National Indian Child Welfare Association. In addition, I was the Executive Director of “Honor Indian Treaties,” an organization formed to assist the fight against New York State that threatened the sovereignty of our Nation.

Eldercare projects have been my personal priority for over twelve years. In particular, I have worked with several elder care experts on an assisted living project that would provide aging in place for Seneca elders. Through honoring our elders, we must continue to assist in meeting their needs. Our elders deserve a better quality of life and to be respected.

I particularly enjoy serving on the Healthy Brain Initiative Project, as it provides me with the hope that, with reinforcements of many people working together, we can accomplish great things for our elders.

IA² has many amazing advisory group members. To read about others click here.

Podcast: Dementia Untangled

Cultural Awareness: Indigenous Peoples & Dementia

This podcast series will explore many unique topics that are related to dementia. With a focus on practical strategies, innovative ideas, and proven methods to help create a supportive path for caregivers.

Various barriers have made the work of Dr. Blythe Winchester, the Director for Geriatrics Services at Cherokee Indian Hospital & Chief Clinical Consultant in Geriatrics & Palliative Care with Indian Health Services, that much more important and impactful.

This podcast series helps untangle the alarming rate at which Indigenous peoples are projected to develop cognitive decline over the next 40 years and what efforts are being made to care for, support, and educate rural communities about this disease. While there are no specific words for “dementia” in Indigenous languages, her passion for this community helps bring the reality of this disease to light and connects people with the resources they need.

Click Here to Listen

Promising Practice: A Recipe for Success in Arizona

By: Jolie Crowder, International Association for Indigenous Aging;  Inter Tribal Council of Arizona Staff; and Lori Nisson, Banner Alzheimer’s Institute

When life is disrupted by crisis, as it was in 2020, some people see opportunities – for change, for action, for introspection – that they might not otherwise see. Because of the pandemic, we have all had to pivot and make difficult changes. Concepts such as long-term planning became even more difficult.

Even during non-public health emergency times, long-term project planning can be difficult. Adding in the COVID pandemic, new emergency teleworking policies and tribes going into “emergency operations only” status and that would be more than enough to work through. Yet we know that when we all work together we will create a recipe for success in facing anything including health issues such as Dementia.

Supportive collaborations with veteran teams such as the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona, Inc. (ITCA) Area Agency on Aging made things go more smoothly. The team, including Laurai Atcitty, Mary Weston, Jackie Edwards, and Flor Olivas was very helpful in their efforts to support elders. Atcitty is the Director of ITCA’s Area Agency on Aging (AAA). The ITCA-AAA supports the Older Americans Act (OAA) Title III and Title VII Programs for 17 tribal governments and the OAA Title VI Program for 4 tribes in Arizona.

Last year Atcitty and her team were awarded an Administration for Community Living (ACL) Tribal Alzheimer’s Disease Program Initiative (ADPI) grant. Tohono O’odham Nation, Pascua Yaqui Tribe, and the Hualapai Tribe are partners for the three-year project. The goal is to enable elders living with dementia and their caregivers to remain independent and safe in their homes. Activities include culturally appropriate information and training designed to increase tribal dementia-capable supports and services.

ADPI project manager, Mary Weston, brings years of direct service experience to the grant, including past work at the State of Arizona and in several Tribal communities. Weston is one of only a handful of Master Trainers in the U.S. for the evidence-based Powerful Tools for Caregivers program. The other PTC Master Trainer is ITCA Caregiver Support Program Coordinator, Jackie Edwards. The two plan to provide a dementia training session with the Powerful Tools training as part of their ADPI project. Tribal partner staff will be trained as Powerful Tools class leaders and offer the program with the added dementia content in their tribal communities.

The ITCA team joins up with Banner Alzheimer’s Institute (BAI). BAI will bring non-medical dementia expertise and services from their Native American Outreach Program to the three participating tribes and will offer staff training to help build local capacity. Long-time Outreach Program Manager, Nicole Lomay; Family and Community Services Director, Lori Nisson; and Associate Director of Outreach, Heather Mulder have more than twenty years’ experience working with Arizona tribal communities. Lomay explained, “We are excited to partner with ITCA on the ADPI grant.  We have always had mutual respect and support of each other’s programs.  This brings great programs and opportunities to the tribal communities we serve across Arizona.”

Other big project activities include:

  • Training local tribal staff as Dementia Friends Champions who will then bring the sessions to their tribes
  • Walk With Me: Using Music for those with Memory Loss in Tribal Communities training for caregivers and people living with dementia using a new traditional/tribal music CD created by BAI
  • Maintain a Healthy Mind brain health training in tribal communities

Though not a part of their ADPI project, ITCA has Master Trainers and Lay Leaders on staff who provide training in the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP), Diabetes Self-Management Program (DSMP), Enhance Fitness (EF) and A Matter of Balance (MOB) (falls prevention) programs. They are co-located with the ITCA tribal epidemiology center and have both environmental and water quality programs, among other public health and health promotion activities.

Additional resources and information:

Check out the just released 2022 Alzheimer’s Disease Program Initiative (ADPI) – Dementia Capability in Indian Country Grant Forecast – Estimated application due date May 28, 2022

More info. or resources from BAI Native American Outreach Program:

    • Email to sign up for a new iteration of the Beacon, a free electronic newsletter, created for family and professional caregivers working with tribal communities.
    • Navigating through Memory Loss: A guide for patients and families, an exceptional resource that addresses current and ongoing Alzheimer’s/dementia medical, emotional, social, and financial needs. Please email Nicole Lomayfor more information about cost and shipping.
    • Native American Caregiver Circle Group, a group to discuss Alzheimer’s disease and provide strategies for caregivers of people with memory loss. Anyone who wants to learn more about this important topic, including caregivers, family members, and professionals, are invited and encouraged to join our conversation. Group discussions are held from 10:00 – 10:30 am (Arizona time) on the second Thursday of each month. Please email Nicole for dial-in details or questions.
    • CARE T.I.P.S: Short and practical tips addressing some of the most common challenges caregivers face and providing simple solutions to address the situation effectively.
    • Native American Toolkit on Alzheimer’s disease: This toolkit and training program is designed to help educate and support families impacted by Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias by training professionals that work in tribal communities. Email Nicole to schedule a training for your team or sign up for the next regularly scheduled Toolkit Training.
    • Upcoming 16th Annual Conference on Alzheimer’s disease and Dementia in Native Americans, Oct. 19-20, 2022. For more information: Native American Alzheimer’s disease Conference.

Worried About Your Memory?

Consider joining a new study aiming to help prevent the disease before symptoms happen.

The International Association of Indigenous Aging supports the AHEAD Study because our commitment to the health of our community is unwavering. The study needs volunteers who are healthy and 55+ to participate.

Indian Country can support Alzheimer’s disease research by ensuring we are represented in research to help find treatments that work for everyone.

The AHEAD Study is funded by the National Institutes of Health and conducted at nearly 75 research locations across the United States. Learn more and see if you are eligible at AHEADStudy.org/Partners.

Check out these flyers you can print and share!

New Research: APOE4 Gene Not Associated with Increased Risk for Dementia or Alzheimer’s in American Indian People

New research published in February indicate that the APOE4 gene, which has been tied to cognitive impairment (dementia and Alzheimer’s) in other populations, was not linked to the disorders for American Indian participants in a long-term study.  

The apolipoprotein E gene APOE ε4 (APOE4) is known to be a significant genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease. Several studies, however, have indicated that the association between APOE4 and Alzheimer’s risk is different between racial and ethnic groups. For this study, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, researchers identified carriers and noncarriers of the gene among the Strong Heart Study participants who were age 65 and older. When APOE4 carriers and noncarriers were compared, there was no difference in brain volumes or cognitive performance. Interestingly, there was also no difference in APOE4 carrier status between American Indian adults with and without memory deficits. What does this mean? They indicate that the APOE4 gene is not linked to neurodegeneration or cognitive impairment (dementia or Alzheimer’s) in American Indians. Despite earlier findings, this study shows that APOE4 carrier status does not affect the brain structure or cognitive function in American Indian populations.

Researchers suggest a possible reason may be an “evolutionary advantage” that comes from a history of an agricultural lifestyle and irregular access to food. This may have resulted in changes over time in how indigenous people stored up particular nutrients. Researchers called for better and more research to help understand the genetic, cultural, and environmental risk and protective factors for dementia, and more research on the number of American Indian people affected by dementia.

Citation: Suchy-Dicey A, et al. APOE genotype, hippocampus, and cognitive markers of Alzheimer’s disease in American Indians: Data from the Strong Heart Study. Alzheimer’s & Dementia. 2022. doi:10.1002/alz.12573

Click to read research highlights from the NIH.

IA² Excited to Welcome 2 New Team Members

 

Jazmine, is the new Evaluation and Measurement Research Associate.

She has a Master of Arts in Applied Social Research. She will contribute to various research and evaluation projects using both qualitative and quantitative designs. She is well-versed in developing research and evaluation methods and statistical plans, creating and validating survey instruments, data management and analysis, and dissemination.

Most recently, Jazmine contributed to projects evaluating COVID-19 contact tracing, vaccine outreach, and mapping surges. Previous research experience includes: impact of perceived racism, chronic stress and allostatic load (chronic stress leads to wear and tear on the body), and innovative methods to improve quality of life for older adults.

To read more about Jazmine and some of the work she has done click here.

Breana, Tribal Public Health and Aging Associate, is a Southern California Native of the Gabrielino-Tongva Tribe who now resides in Central Oregon.

She attended the University of California, Santa Barbara, majoring in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, and minoring in both American Indian and Indigenous Studies and the Gevirtz Science and Mathematics Education minor.

She has always been passionate about education and outreach regarding Indigenous communities and the environment. She is actively involved in her tribal community. She works closely with her multi-generational family for federal recognition and has been an Anthropological monitor for sacred land protection. Breana is interested in the Public Health and research realm specializing in American Indian and Alaska Native communities with IA².

To learn more about Bre, click here.

A warm welcome to both Jazmine and Bre!

 

Dementia Friends for American Indian and Alaska Native Communities

IA² continued virtual pilots of the Dementia Friends for American Indian and Alaska Native Communities. This month IA² offered both an information session and a Champion training. We have been continually working with American Indian and Alaska Native communities to develop and improve the Dementia Friends content to better meet the needs of our communities.

Next month we will be re-convening a work group to consider changes to the content to improve readability and health literacy.

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.

Free Online Drop-In Support Groups Available

IA²’s partner HFC  (formerly Hilarity for Charity) offers commitment-free support groups for families & friends of people living with dementia or memory problems.

Join A Free Online Drop-in Support Group Today!

Click For More Info

Click to Register
Note: there are travel scholarships available. 

Elders: Participate in NICOA’s “Share Your Story”

The National Indian Council on Aging is currently looking for American Indian and Alaska Native elders to speak about their own experiences.

This opportunity is to allow elders to share their stories of what made them who they are today.

NICOA wants to hear your story in your own words.

To learn more and to share your story click here.

Moving Together Research Program

 

Moving Together is an online group movement program for people with dementia and their care partners. Moving Together integrates physical, cognitive, and social activities that work with parts of the brain that remain intact as memory declines – muscle memory, mindfulness, and the ability to meaningfully connect with others.

Who can participate in the Moving Together program?

To qualify for the study, you or someone you care for must be diagnosed with mild to moderate dementia, participate as a pair (which includes a person with memory loss and a care partner), have access to a computer, laptop, or iPad with internet. The study seeks a person with memory loss and a care partner to join a 1-hour online class 2x a week for 12 consecutive weeks.

View the Moving Together video below.

NEW Resource – Needs Assessment Toolkit on Dementia, Cognitive Health, and Caregiving

The Needs Assessment Toolkit for Dementia, Cognitive Health, and Caregiving can help identify unmet needs of older adults, focus on  community strengths, and promote healthy aging.

The five-step process can be done all in order or pick just one piece. This allows users to enter the assessment process at any stage to inform health improvement plans, Alzheimer’s-specific plans, and aging plans.

Aligned to the Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map, the toolkit embeds health equity with community health assessment. It offers approaches to include wide representation of people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, geographic locations, and levels of socioeconomic status and educational levels. Users will find fillable tools and worksheets to help get started and track progress.

Click Here to find the toolkit online!

For any questions or for technical assistance around this toolkit, please reach out to healthyaging@astho.org.

Register Today: Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Adult Protection Services Tenth Annual Taking a Stand Against Elder Abuse

May 18 – 19, 2022 as Shoshone Bannock Hotel & Event Center, Fort Hall, ID


Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Adult Protection Services will host its tenth annual Taking a Stand Against Elder Abuse event May 18-19, 2022 at the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Hotel & Event Center. The Administration for Community Living is partnering with Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Adult Protection Services to help support this as a Training even for Title VI communities.

We are excited to see our own Dr. Jolie Crowder present at this event as part of a panel on dementia!

Download the Taking a Stand Against Elder Abuse event flyer here. Download the event agenda here.

Download the registration form here.

New  Web Resource – 2022 Facts and Figures on Dementia, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Early Diagnosis with Highlights for Native Communities

The IA2 Brain Health team has compiled a page of facts and figures from a new report, including stats about American Indian and Alaska Native people included in the 122-page report. Did you know:

  • 84% of AI/AN people would want to know if they had dementia during an earlier stage
  • Less than 1 in 4 AI/AN people are familiar with the term mild cognitive impairment

This comes from new special report by the Alzheimer’s Association talks about attitudes and barriers around mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and concerns about the workforce needed to help care for people living with dementia and their caregivers.

 

Click HERE to view the full set of highlights and stats in our Brain Health Resource Library.

Featured Resources & News

Conference: Taking a Stand Against Elder Abuse – 10th Annual Shoshone-Bannock Tribes Adult Protection Services
Family
Education:		 Native Elder Caregiver Family Caregiving Online Training Module
Toolkit:
Printing $:
IA2 $250 Printing Grants for Brain Health Resources
Blog:
Resource:
IA2 Calendar of Events
Resource: How to Guide: Audience Check In for Cultural Adaptation of Materials
Resource:
Elder Resources –  National Indian Council on Aging
Reports:
Research:
Research: The costs of treating all-cause dementia among American Indians and Alaska native adults who access services through the Indian Health Service and Tribal health programs
Webinar:
Webinar: Dementia Friends for American Indiana and Alaska Native Communities Champion Training March 30

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 comm

unities.

Mary Ann

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