Category: Neighborhood and Built Environment

14 - New York State Alzheimer’s Disease Caregiver Support Initiative: Increasing services to geographically, ethnically and socially diverse underserved populations.

Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias represent a major public health burden in New York State (NYS), significantly impacting individuals and families, the medical care system, and the overall community.    Evidence indicates that comprehensive services including assessment, diagnosis, counseling/education, and caregiver support services lead to better outcomes, such as delayed nursing home entry and preventable emergency room admissions[1]. Today, an estimated 1 million informal caregivers provide critical support to their friends and family members living with dementia, helping these individuals remain at home and in communities across NYS[2].  In response to this growing burden, the New York State Department of Health launched the Alzheimer’s disease Caregiver Support Initiative, a five-year groundbreaking initiative enabling organizations throughout the state to greatly expand access to quality clinical care and evidence-based caregiver support services, and to provide targeted services for traditionally underserved communities.


This presentation will provide an overview of the statewide Alzheimer’s disease Caregiver Support initiative, focusing on the innovative approach adopted by the state to expand services to geographically, ethnically, and socially diverse underserved populations. The presentation will highlight the initiative’s multi-sectoral approach, which encouraged collaboration across 4 grant programs, 37 contractors and multiple partners to achieve targeted goals.  Evaluation data from the first 2 years of the initiative will demonstrate the reach of programs and services to diverse caregivers and care recipients across the state.  The reach of the initiative will be compared to NYS regional populations using Census data and CARTO mapping software.  The findings will be discussed in terms of lessons learned and successes and challenges in reaching traditionally underserved communities.




[1] Mittleman, M. et al. (2006). Improving caregiver well-being delays nursing home placement of patients with Alzheimer disease. NEUROLOGY 67 November,  2006


[2] Alzheimer’s Association. 2016 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures. Alzheimer’s & Dementia 2016;12(4).


 

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Luisa Fernandes

DrPH Candidate
New York State Department of Health/SUNY Albany School of Public Health
ALBANY

Ms. Fernandez is a New York State Department of Health student assistant on the project and also a University at Albany School of Public Health doctoral student. Her role on the project has been to create data management processes and review and analyze data submissions.
Luisa Fernandes is a doula, speech therapist, and audiologist from Brazil. Before starting her studies in the United States, she completed a Masters in Public Health and a Masters in Public Administration in Brazil. She has worked for Brazil’s public health system at the local and federal level, focusing on disability policy, primary health care coverage and access, health workforce development, and continuing education. Dedication to human rights and feminism have shaped her career and personal life, and have led her to her passion today: advocating for doulas as reproductive justice agents

Mary P. Gallant

Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Associate Professor, Health Policy, Management and Behavior
University at Albany School of Public Health
Rensselaer, New York

Dr. Gallant is the Principle Investigator for the evaluation of the New York State Alzheimer's Disease Caregiver Support Initiative.

Mary Riley-Jacome

Project Coordinator
University at Albany School of Public Health
Rensselaer, New York

Ms. Riley-Jacome is the Project Coordinator for the evaluation of the New York State Alzheimer's Disease Caregiver Support Initiative

David Hoffman

Director, Bureau of Community Integration and Alzheimers Disease
New York State Department of Health
Albany, New York

David Hoffman is the DOH Director of the Bureau of Community Integration and Alzheimer's Disease and a Clinical Associate Professor in Health Policy Management and Behavior at the University at Albany School of Public Health. In this role, he has been instrumental in attaining funding and developing the framework for the groundbreaking initiative.

Meghan Fadel

Evaluation Coordinator
New York State Department of Health
Albany, New York

Ms. Fadel is the NYS DOH Evaluator and Liaison for the New York State Alzheimer's Disease Caregiver Support Initiative.

Elizabeth Berberian

Director, Alzheimer's Disease Program
New York State Department of Health
Albany, New York

Ms. Berberian is the Director of the Alzheimer's Disease Program. She has led the development, overall design and rollout of the New York State Caregiver Disease Support Initiative.

Emily Gudewicz

Graduate Research Assistant
University at Albany School of Public Health

Ms. Gudewicz is a graduate research assistant on the project. Her role in the project has been to analyze data, conduct comparisons, and create maps for the poster presentation.