Indian Health Geriatric Scholar (GeriScholar) Focuses on Connections with Patients

Dr. Mia Lozada is an Indian Health GeriScholar from Gallup Indian Medical Center. She has learned to take a family-centered approach after seeing the staff’s relationship with elders who receive care at the center. The staff at Gallup Indian Medical Center often refer to patients in familial terms. “They care for their patients as if they were caring for a relative,” she said.

Dr. Lozada observed the staff providing such thoughtful attention to elders. She saw them braiding their hair, designating their better ear when rounding, or providing a radio for the Navajo language station. She said that most grandmas and grandpas prefer the radio over the TV.

Her elder patients have shared rich, beautiful stories of strength and grit. Each has been incredibly moving and powerful in her journey as a physician.

“The privilege to have these moments with another person is why I went into medicine,” she added. 

As an Indian Health GeriScholar, Dr. Lozada worked with Dr. Kristine Cruz on a project to empower primary care providers to increase recognition of dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) in the outpatient setting. For their project, they developed:

• education regarding validated screening tools to recognize dementia,
• guidance about when to perform additional testing and
• a framework for the use of medications for dementia.

Lozada frequently reaches out to others in the GeriScholar program for advice and perspectives about elder care. She said the members are responsive, practical, and helpful. “Whether it's asking other fellows how they utilize the medications or group sharing of clinical pearls from our respective CMEs, it has been a great network to lean on,” she added. 

Visit the Geriatric Scholars Program website for more information.

IHS Awards Alzheimer’s Training and Education Contract

We're excited to share that the University of Washington has been awarded the Alzheimer’s Program Training and Education contract by the IHS Division of Clinical and Community Services. Six American Indian and Alaska Native faculty, staff, and consultants will support the work. 

Healthcare workforce training and education was among the four major priorities​​​​​​established for IHS as a result of Tribal consultation and Urban conferral.

This is an important step in creating a culturally relevant, skills-based dementia training and workforce development program. It will strengthen the abilities of those working in IHS, tribal, and urban Indian health facilities.

IHS Hosts Photo Shoots in the Great Plains and Bemidji Areas

The IHS Alzheimer’s Program recently collaborated to photograph elders, caregivers, clinical staff, and communities in South Dakota, Nebraska, and Minnesota. 

IHS worked with the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s Oglala Sioux Lakota Nursing Home and a production team to photograph the Oglala Sioux people and communities during the Oglala Nation Pow Wow and Rodeo. The Bemidji Area photo shoots focused on events at the urban Indian Health Board of Minneapolis, and the Cass Lake Hospital in Minnesota. 

Photos will be incorporated into the IHS Elder Health and Alzheimer’s Program website, as well as graphics, and social media campaigns.

Upcoming Events

Webinar: Brain Injury and Dementia
September 12, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT 

Studies have shown a significant relationship between brain injury and dementia. Researchers have learned that a history of traumatic brain injury (TBI) increases the risk of developing dementia later in life. 

Register for the webinar to learn more about how brain injuries and dementia can be related. 

Resources

Funding Opportunity for Local Health Departments: Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map Strategists​​​​​​

Applications are now open for the CDC-funded Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map Strategists program. Ten local and tribal health departments will be selected as national leaders in brain health, dementia, and caregiving. 

Find more information about this submission opportunity on the Alzheimer's Association Submission page. The deadline is September 26, 2024, at 5:00 PM ET. For more information, contact publichealth@alz.org.