The International Association for Indigenous Aging (IA2), in close collaboration with key partners, submits this Component B application which proposes to address disparities in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) among American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) populations. Only more recently have tribes, states, and federal agencies begun to acknowledge ADRD as an important health issue for AIAN elders, their caregivers, and communities, a timeline exacerbated by “patchy and inconsistent” outreach and education to AIAN people. Based on over three decades of experience working with tribes and tribal populations by our principals, and IA2 work over the last five years supporting activities of the Healthy Brain Initiative, we believe a multi-level, multidisciplinary public health approach focused on AIAN-centered stakeholder engagement and collaboration building is critical to accomplish the overall outcomes.
IA2 and our partners will work to achieve two major goals over the course of this five year project:
1.Establish the project as a national hub for ADRD training, technical assistance, subject matter expertise, and resources for tribes, tribal leadership, tribal health directors, tribal health staff including Urban Indian Health Centers, elder service advocates, and public health professionals who work with AIAN elders.
2.Advance community engagement among tribes and tribal member-serving organizations in public health practices, and build local capacity to promote and implement: healthy cognitive aging strategies across the lifespan, development of dementia-capable and informed tribal communities, and evidence-informed activities that address the needs of caregivers.
Our project proposal is designed to begin work to address the two strategies and eight actions (collectively referred to as strategies) from The Road Map for Indian Country identified by the CDC. We have identified and aligned nineteen project objectives under these 10 strategies for the first three years of our work.
The focal point of proposed activities in year one includes convening a National Steering Committee comprised of tribal leaders, public health practitioners, health care providers, researchers, elder advocates, advocacy organizations, and elders in addition to other non-tribal subject matter experts and allies. The group will serve in an advisory capacity representing the interest of major AIAN stakeholder groups with an aim of working towards creating a multi-disciplinary alliance for collective action, and assist with setting future year project priorities. The second key objective in year one is to develop and begin implementation of a robust, systematic national assessment of needs among major AIAN stakeholders. Key objectives and activities for Years 2 and 3 include creating three national-level training programs. Subsequent year activities include a tribal mini-grant program that will offer tribal grants to test processes and mediums for actions from the Road Map for Indian Country. Finally, the provision of training, technical assistance, and new resources for staff that serve AIAN populations with ADRD and their caregivers, including creation of additional outreach materials for tribal elders and their families based on needs assessment findings.
Short-term outcomes include 1. Expand implementation of the Healthy Brain Initiative Road Map for Indian Country actions to AIANs, and 2. Increase the number of people reached by population-focused communications about brain health and cognitive impairment.
Our approach to this work will be built on our belief in values that promote tribal sovereignty over ADRD work in local communities, respect cultural traditions and knowledge while encouraging innovation, recognize the importance of mutually beneficial collaborations and partnerships, and acknowledges the rights of Indigenous nations to work in a way that honors their own culture, diversity, and traditions.
