Dementia Resource Ambassador Program 

Project Abstract

Utah has one of the highest life expectancies in the United States. Many Utahns are or will age into disability, with 10% of Utahns ages 65+ currently having Alzheimer’s disease. Care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) primarily falls on family members who do not have any formal training to support their family member. Similarly, many paraprofessionals working with individuals with ADRD have limited, if any, formal training in dementia care. This lack of training may lead to increased stress and burnout for the individual providing care and the propagation of ineffective or harmful practices. Considering these issues, the Utah’s State 2023-2030 Plan for ADRD named Public Awareness and Caregiver Resources among its priorities. This field-initiated proposal led by Dr. Elizabeth Fauth of the Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Research Center partners with the Utah Alzheimer’s Association and the Utah Department of Health and Human Services to address the following training goals:

(1) increase community members’ (e.g., family caregivers, individuals with ADRD, service providers without a dementia specialization, etc.) knowledge of dementia and dementia resources across Utah and integrate them into the statewide dementia resource system; and

(2) create a system of community-based dementia resource ambassadors who are proficient on the core dementia competencies outlined by the Department of Health and Human Services.

These goals will be accomplished via multiple trainings (i.e., a webinar series, a community of practice series, and an asynchronous course) facilitated across the state of Utah using multi-media technology, with an emphasis on reaching rural communities. We will train a minimum of 850 trainees across the state.

Project Staff

See Full USU Profile