Empowering Progress in Dementia Care Through Evaluation
Valerie Jones has worked with the Indian Health Service (IHS) for two years. She is the Elder Health Care Data Coordinator in the IHS Division of Clinical & Community Services. In her role, she converts data into compelling narratives that resonate with various audiences, including policymakers, healthcare providers, and community members. Valerie’s work involves integrating the narratives of each grantee and presenting evaluation findings in a manner that informs, engages, and inspires action.
“Our evaluation efforts focus on revealing key insights important to our audiences,” Jones explained. “Whether we are reporting to federal councils such as the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, Engage (RAISE) Family Caregiver’s Act or the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA), contributing to agency accomplishments, briefing Congress, or sharing findings through newsletters, we aim to ensure that the data we present drives meaningful improvements in programs and services.”
One notable aspect of this work involves data collected from grantees, GeriScholars, and Geriatric Nurse Fellows. Some grantees have organized elder listening sessions, actively involving elders in designing their programs to ensure services are tailored to their needs. This approach to gathering community feedback can serve as both a means of evaluation and contributes to creating culturally appropriate care models that resonate with the communities served.
In addition to her other responsibilities, Jones compiles a comprehensive report to Congress highlighting the significant achievements of the Alzheimer’s Program. This report showcases the work of grantees, partners, GeriScholars, Nurse Fellows, and pilots like the Community Health Representative screening initiative.
The IHS Alzheimer’s Program team’s approach is deeply rooted in collaboration. They actively engage with communities, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to ensure that their strategies align with the needs of tribal communities. They strive to create practical, sustainable, and impactful interventions by continuously gathering feedback and refining their methods. Through these collaborative efforts, the program is achieving measurable outcomes that directly improve the lives of elders and their caregivers in tribal communities.
You can read more about Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia: IHS 2023 Accomplishments in this blog post.
