Ethnic Elders Care Network

 Ethnic Elders Care Network

The Ethnic Elders Care Network website is a site designed specifically for people who are currently or will be caregivers to ethnic elders with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.

Ethnic Elders is dedicated to promoting research, prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders and to providing education, support and assistance to ethnic minority elderly patients, their families and caregivers.

MISSION STATEMENT

To improve access to culturally sensitive and effective care for ethnic elders with Alzheimer’s and related disorders by promoting awareness and education among caregivers and health professionals

Vision: Dementia is more common among African American and Hispanic elders as compared with Caucasian Americans elders.  Most of the care of ethnic elders with dementia is conducted by family and informal caregivers. But due to a variety of psychosocial and cultural factors,  ethnic elders are less likely than Caucasian elders to have access to formal comprehensive diagnostic, treatment  and management resources for dementia care.   The primary vision of Ethnic Elders Care is to increase public awareness of about dementia  among ethnic elders and  optimize the quality of life of family caregivers and ethnic elders with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.

 The guiding principles of Ethnic Elders Care are:

1. Access to good medical care is a right for every one
2. Family care is the best form of care for dementia
3. Dementia care should be culturally appropriate
4. The quality of care of ethnic elders with dementia can be improved.

Goals and Objectives

 Goal 1

To increase public awareness  among health care providers and the general public about Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders among ethnic elders in the United States and position the Ethnic Elders Care as the leading clearinghouse for dementia, ethnicity and caregiving. 

1. Develop an annual integrated communications campaign which includes  a high visibility website, print materials and public appearances on radio, television and print media.
2. To provide a forum for discussing  and addressing the issues of dementia , caregiving and diversity by developing 2  online discussion groups—one for caregivers and one for health care providers 

Goal 2

To position Ethnic Elders Care as the leading clearinghouse for information on Alzheimer’s and related disorders among ethnic elders in the United States

1. To provide 4  lecture/ presentations per year concerning ethnic elder patients with dementia  and their caregivers  at national geriatric medicine, gerontology, psychiatry or psychology meetings.
2. Provide 2 lecture/presentations at  local hospitals, clinics or community based locations about diagnostic, treatment and management issues in dementia among ethnic elders
3. To develop an instructional video about cross cultural issues in dementia designed for physicians and nurses.
4. To provide frequently updated information about dementia and ethnicity on our highly visible website www.ethnicelderscare.net.