IHS Dementia Training and Education Resources (IDTER)

The creation of new training and educational programs, along with the management, of existing ones, will prepare the workforce of the Indian Health Service (IHS) to provide high quality care for older American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) adults at risk for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD). We present a highly integrated program - a collaborative - centered at the University of Washington (UW). The exceptional team of faculty and staff at UW is augmented by long-time colleagues at Washington State University (WSU), as well as the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Western Carolina University. Many of us have collaborated for more than a decade at the intersection of Native health and aging, notably on studies of ADRD. All activities managed and implemented by the proposed IHS Dementia Training and Education Resources (IDTER) program will be designed to transform IHS systems and clinical and community health staff practices by embracing a person-centered care approach for people living with dementia (PLWD) and their caregivers. IDTER will provide the infrastructure, faculty, staff, resources, and services to administer, manage, and perform the work of this solicitation. Our faculty and staff have expertise and hands-on experience in all substantive aspects of this contract, including evidence-based and -informed clinical training and educational programs; clinical diagnosis and management of ADRD; and dementia caregiving. We have worked with the IHS, Tribal, and Urban Indian Organization (I/T/U) health systems; we understand and respect Tribal cultures, values, and traditions; and we have engaged with governmental agencies and Tribal entities for 30 years. We note that 6 IDTER faculty, consultants, and staff are AI/AN. Our training content will incorporate adult learning principles and best practices for engaged learning and instruction through an array of delivery methods. The ultimate goals of IDTER are to increase the knowledge, confidence, and competency of I/T/U primary care providers (PCP) and staff in dementia detection, management, and to support informal caregivers of PLWD.