Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe Creates “Dementia Support Program” with IHS Alzheimer’s Grant

The Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe of Nevada, an Indian Health Service Alzheimer’s Program grant recipient, is developing targeted support and services for its elders, family members, and caregivers during the dementia diagnosis journey. This is no easy feat, with a population of just over 1,400 spread across more than 8,560 acres. 

They are finding it can be difficult for elders and family members to address memory-related concerns not only with each other but with their doctors, too. The Tribe’s program now includes a support group that provides a safe place to discuss dementia topics, including:

• Cognitive testing
• Appointment assistance
• Home visits 
• Resource connections
• Education
• Group discussion
• And soon, respite care for caregivers

“The support group is open to any tribal member who is being affected by dementia. Whether that be an elder who is diagnosed/in the process of diagnosis, caregivers, family members, anyone who has questions, concerns, and wants to learn more about dementia is welcome,” says Stephanie Austin, Dementia Care Specialist. “We knew it was of high importance and that it was something we lacked in this tribal area.”

The support group has been well received by the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe’s community. Noticeable benefits after starting the support group include the following:

• Building a relationship with the community
• Gaining an understanding of where and what is lacking regarding dementia care
• Educating the community on dementia
• Learning what the communities’ concerns are

“The more education we can give to this community, the more likely it is to lift the stigma about dementia,” Austin added.

Currently, in-person meetings are offered, but the Tribe plans to eventually begin hosting virtual meetings for those who cannot travel. For more information, visit the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe’s website.

Geriatric Nurse Fellowship: Clinical Impact

Chism Presents Medication-Label Literacy Project

Indian Health Geriatric Nurse Fellow (GNF) Suzie Chism is a part of the Kyle Health Center Outpatient Clinic Nurse-Bear Team for the IHS Pine Ridge Service Unit in Kyle, South Dakota.

As part of the Indian Health Geriatric Nurse Fellowship program, participants like Ms. Chism develop projects or activities that are presented at the close of each GNF cohort. Her project was to create a medication-label literacy program. Her final poster was, Assessing Medication Label Literacy Before and After an Educational Intervention with American Indian Elders (60+ years old) in an Outpatient Setting: A Quality Improvement Project.

Clinical Pearls from her project were: 

• Most patients (95%) report never receiving medication label education; 20% report they’ve taken medication incorrectly because they didn’t understand the label.
• Brief medication label literacy assessment can identify “outliers”: patients who say they can self-manage medications but don’t demonstrate understanding when tested.
• A brief assessment and education intervention holds promise for improving short-term patient knowledge, triaging high-risk patients, and helping guide care decisions and referrals.
• Working with supportive and encouraging leadership and mentors in the program, people who are just as passionate about elder care, can be an invaluable professional and personal experience.

You can learn more about her project by watching her presentation on the Indian Health Service’s YouTube account.

The deadline to apply for the newest 2024-2025 GNF pilot cohort is November 8th. For more information on how to apply, visit the Indian Health Geriatric Nurse Fellowship Program page on the Alzheimer’s Program website. 

Advanced Care Planning Guide for Those Living with Dementia​​​​​​

This guide is intended primarily for people living with dementia and their care partners. 

Health care and public health staff can use the toolkit to raise awareness and promote best practices and tools in dementia care planning.

This resource recommends effective care, services, and considerations at various stages of cognitive impairment and dementia.

Read and share the toolkit from the Public Health Center of Excellence on Dementia Caregiving to make a difference in your patients' and their families' lives!

Calling all Community Health Representative Programs!​​​​​​

The CHR Dementia Detection Pilot Program is open for applications. This is your chance to bring the Mini-Cog 3-minute screening tool to American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

With dementia impacting our population at higher rates, this effort is key to improving health outcomes. 

Ready to be a leader in dementia care? Apply by Nov. 18!