By: Breana Dorame (Gabrielino – Tongva), Mary Ann OMeara, MPH
The International Association for Indigenous Aging (IA²) serves as a national hub for dementia and Alzheimer’s information resources serving Indian country, Alaskan Villages, and urban Indian populations using public health approaches. In 2021, IA² applied to USAging to become the national Dementia Friends licensee for American Indian and Alaska Native Communities. The intent was to allow tribes and tribal organizations in any state to affiliate with IA² as a national Native-serving organization and to create a culturally relevant adaptation of the program.
Dementia Friends is a global effort that aims to change how people view dementia to better support people in their community. These sessions cover the differences between dementia and normal aging, steps to reduce the risk of dementia, activities to better understand what it is like to live with dementia, and tips for talking with people living with dementia. IA² ‘s novel national licensing agreement with USAging allows tribes and tribal organizations in any state to affiliate with IA² for training and use of the free educational program.
With authorization from USAging (the national licensing entity), IA² and its training partners teamed up to convene a revision workgroup comprised of aging services staff and Indigenous people from across the U.S. The workgroup and the National Brain Health Advisory Group volunteered more than 150 hours of time to revise the content. Revisions were also made in plain language so tribal communities can easily translate the Dementia Friends content. Adapted content addresses six key messages on dementia. It incorporates imagery and messaging reflective of Indigenous cultural values. It also includes a new video and information graphic produced by IA².
Cultural adaptation of Dementia Friends for American Indian and Alaska Native Communities has reached and trained more than 200 Dementia Friends and 33 Champions from more than 50 tribes and Alaska villages.
The goal of Dementia Friends for American Indian and Alaska Native communities is to train Champions of the community to bring it back to their communities in a way that is culturally relevant to them.
The Pesa Sooname Advisory Group is part of the Dementia Friendly Nevada Initiative and a Dementia-Friendly Community. This is led by Carla Eben, the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe’s Numaga Senior Services Director, and Jennifer Carson, the Director of Dementia Engagement, Education and Research Program of the University of Nevada Reno.
“Pesa Sooname” is Northern Paiute for “good thought” and “good think”. The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe named their dementia-friendly group “Pesa Sooname” because they want to have good thoughts towards elders living with dementia and they want to protect their own good thinking.
Pesa Sooname aims to develop and promote a community that is respectful, educated, supportive and inclusive of people living with dementia and their care partners. They use the Dementia Friendly America process to accomplish this goal, and work using an “authentic partnerships” approach, which involves direct engagement of people living with dementia and their care partners.
In July of 2022, Valerie Tsosie (Diné) of the So’ Tsoh Foundation hosted a Dementia Friends Information Session for the Navajo community. This was a first for a trained Champion coming from the IA² Champion Trainings to bring an information session to their community.
The So’ Tsoh Foundation aims to create pathways to better health by offering innovative solutions for caregivers to have access to behavioral and physical wellness and quality care to the caregivers and their families. They offer comprehensive programs, specialty services, resources, and support to address general wellness concerns. They also integrate a Diné approach that takes into consideration the body, mind, and spirit connection.
Valerie was able to provide a Dementia Friends Information session from IA²’s updated workbook and make it even more culturally relevant for her own community. Valerie went back and forth between the English language and the Diné language to allow the attendees to understand some of the content based on their understanding of what words meant or were translated in between the two languages. The plain language revisions done to the workbook allow the ability for flexibility in the translation of words for most tribal communities when hosting an information session.
IA² is looking forward to seeing more Dementia Friends Champions for American Indian and Alaska Native Communities so they can bring the Information Sessions back to their communities.
