Rhode Island is making meaningful efforts to expand its response to the ever-increasing population of families with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. Through a discretionary award secured in 2018, the Rhode Island Office of Healthy Aging, the Family Caregiver Alliance, and other project partners are working to make the State’s system of home- and community-based services dementia-capable. To achieve this, the Alzheimer’s Disease Program Initiative is advancing three primary priorities.
- Deliver evidence-based programming to support families living with dementia. This includes six-week Powerful Tools for Caregivers program offered multiple times a year, as well as a companion three-week training for individuals with dementia who are recently diagnosed. The project is seeking to reach new populations of Rhode Islanders by offering both courses in Spanish for the first time. Respite supports are also available as part of the initiative.
- Recruit and train a wide range of direct care professionals on dementia care best practices. The training content covers a comprehensive set of topics meant for those who provide services in a care setting, emergency response, community supports, healthcare, and many more. The curriculum is designed as part of a two-phase process, for those that wish to advance their knowledge in the area and serve as an ambassador by engaging in a train-the-trainer dissemination model.
- Engage with Rhode Island’s network of primary care and related health practices to improve early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s and related dementia. Under this targeted effort, practices will be informed of the full suite of community-based services, tools to assist in the care planning process, and how to refer patients into the State’s POINT support network.
If you would like more information on the Powerful Tools for Caregivers offering, or to receive more information on respite options, please reach out to Hector Munoz, at Catholic Social Services of Rhode Island.
hmunoz@dioceseofprovidence.org
401-421-7833, ext. 212
If you would like more information on the Persons Living with Dementia training series, please reach out to Annie Murphy, at Alzheimer’s Association, RI Chapter.
mmurphy@alz.org
1-800-272-3900 0r 401 421-0008 ext 9704.
If you are a direct service professional, physician practice, or interested member of the public who would like to learn more about the Alzheimer’s Disease Program Initiative, please visit the Office of Healthy Aging website http://www.oha.ri.gov/ or call them at 401.462.3000.