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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Ishan Canty Williams, PhD, School of Nursing, University of Virginia, PO Box 800782, 202 SW 15th St., Charlottesville, VA 22903-0782, 434-924-0480, icw8t@virginia.edu and Christopher M. Kelly, PhD, Institute on Aging, University of North Carolina, 720 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Chapel Hill, NC 27599.

In the United States, over 70% of the 4 million persons diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias are cared for by families. While options for family caregivers have expanded, the need for dementia-specific services remains great. In particular, African American and rural families dealing with dementia are often unable to access resources, due to economic circumstances and cultural isolation. One means for states to deliver dementia-specific services to vulnerable populations is through the use of the Alzheimer's Disease Demonstration Grants to States (ADDGS). North Carolina, one of 38 states participating in the ADDGS program, targets underserved rural and minority caregivers through Project C.A.R.E. (Caregiver Alternatives to Running on Empty). Under this program, families can receive up to $2000 annually for services ranging from community-based respite to more comprehensive care (in-home and overnight respite, training, and emotional support). This presentation will provide a background of Project C.A.R.E.'s efforts to grow care and support services for families affected by dementia in the African American community. We will discuss Project C.A.R.E.'s use of a Family Consultant to provide personal support, in-home assessment, and links to community resources. We will describe the outreach efforts of the Family Consultant to the African American community in providing education and training on Alzheimer's disease and in building bridges to local church and community groups. Finally, we will review patterns of service use among family caregivers during the first five years of Project C.A.R.E. and preview plans to expand the program statewide beyond its three existing sites.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify Alzheimer’s Disease Demonstration Grants to the States (ADDGS) as a resource for states in providing dementia-specific services for family caregivers.
• Describe North Carolina’s Project C.A.R.E. and its use of the Family Consultant model as a means of delivering flexible, individualized care and support to African American caregivers.
• Discuss patterns of service use among family caregivers at the existing Project C.A.R.E. sites and the potential for statewide expansion.

Keywords: Caregivers, African American

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered

Handout (.ppt format, 393.0 kb)