LTSS Newsletter—November 2023

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) sent this bulletin at 11/21/2023 09:00 AM EST

LTSS webinar, December 13 – Vaccines for Wellness
American Indian/Alaska Native Long-Term Services and Supports

Technical assistance for culturally competent care
November 2023
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Visit the online LTSS TA Center for videos, best practices, toolkits, a resource library, and a step-by-step planning roadmap.
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Dementia caregiving toolkit

In observance of National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, download and share Public Health Strategies in Dementia Caregiving: A Toolkit for Public Health Agencies (PDF, 1.4 MB, 30 pp).

Funded by the CDC, the toolkit provides state and county examples of interventions that address the needs of unpaid caregivers for people living with dementia.

The examples are organized into the following four domains:
  • Strengthening partnerships and policies
  • Measuring, evaluating, and using data
  • Building a diverse and skilled workforce
  • Engaging and educating the public

Additionally, the toolkit includes caregiver quotes highlighting the need for broader efforts to improve quality of life for families affected by dementia.
     
   

Dementia awareness in Indian Country

  
       
   

Although dementia affects families in every tribal community, caregivers for people with dementia often report feeling lonely and isolated.

 

That’s why the International Association for Indigenous Aging is committed to increasing awareness of dementia in Native communities.

 

To learn more, visit the LTSS TA Center and watch a series of brief videos, which cover topics such as:

 

  • Challenges of providing care for a loved one with dementia
  • Work on the Wandering Project with the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe in northern Nevada
  • Resources available to spur creation of dementia-specific tribal laws, plans, and policies

 

  

Resources for American Indians with TBI

Compared with other racial and ethnic groups, Indigenous people are at increased risk for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and poor TBI-related outcomes. To address that disparity, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) partnered with Native organizations to create a TBI resource bundle for American Indians.

 

Intended to help improve rehabilitation outcomes, the resource bundle covers topics such as:

 

  • Understanding TBI’s potential impact on behavior and abilities
  • Mitigating alcohol’s effects on the brain after TBI
  • Managing memory loss after TBI
  • Treating depression after TBI

 

Indian health organizations wanting to customize the resources with their logo and contact information are encouraged to email AIR for more information.

 

USAging’s call for conference session topics

December 1 is the deadline to submit session topics for USAging’s 49th annual conference and tradeshow, to be held July 8–11, 2024, in Tampa, Florida.

 

The conference’s focus areas include building livable and dementia-friendly communities, supporting caregivers, and more.

 

Banner for 2024 USAging Conference and Tradeshow

 
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Join the conversation on LinkedIn

Want to learn more about or discuss LTSS in Indian Country? Looking to connect with others working in the same field?

Join the Tribal Affairs Group on LinkedIn.
Upcoming webinar

Vaccines for Wellness

Wednesday, December 13

Hear how WellWise Services Area Agency on Aging has leveraged new and existing partnerships with local health departments, health systems, pharmacy networks, and other human service agencies, and improved equitable access to immunizations, particularly in rural areas with transportation-related barriers.

 

Objectives:

 

  • Describe program inception
  • Showcase community partnership development
  • Detail funding mechanisms

Please note your

location's call-in time:

 

9 a.m. Hawaii

10 a.m. Alaska

11 a.m. Pacific

12 p.m. Mountain

1 p.m. Central

2 p.m. Eastern

 

Have questions for our presenter? Let us know before the webinar by emailing ltssinfo@kauffmaninc.com.

Register now.

Presenter
Cami Emerson

Cami Emerson
Community Health Specialist
WellWise Services Area Agency on Aging
Caregiver's corner

Training for caregivers of people with dementia

Caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias face unique challenges. A five-module training course, titled Dementia Dialogues, is available to help caregivers feel better prepared to address those challenges.

 

Offered through the Office for the Study of Aging (OSA) at the Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, the course covers topics such as:

 

  • Communicating effectively
  • Promoting independence
  • Addressing challenging behaviors
  • Creative problem solving

 

To schedule an in-person or virtual training for your organization or community, email OSA@sc.edu or call OSA at (803) 777–5334.

 
Funding opportunities

Tribal transportation safety

Applications due: January 15, 2024
Learn more about the tribal transportation safety funding opportunity

The U.S. Department of Transportation is offering funds to address transportation safety issues in and around tribal communities.

 

Federally recognized tribes are eligible to apply. Visit the Tribal Transportation Program Safety Fund website to access the recording and slides from a recent webinar for prospective applicants.

 
Upcoming events
Alzheimer's Foundation of America logo

Alzheimer’s Foundation of America web series

Join the president/chief executive officer of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) for virtual 30-minute “fireside chats” with an expert in medicine, research, or dementia care.

 

Upcoming fireside chats in the Dementia Diagnosis Roadmap series are listed below, all with a start time of 1 p.m. Eastern.

 

 

Webinar on the legal needs of elders

December 6 at 1 p.m. Eastern

Register for the December 6 webinar

 

The American Society on Aging will host a webinar on planning ahead to meet the legal needs of elders. Webinar attendees will be better prepared to help elders and their families understand:

 

  • Which legal documents should be in place before a crisis happens
  • The purpose of Medicaid planning
  • Reasons for consulting an elder law attorney

 

Webinar on depression and dementia

December 12 at 1 p.m. Eastern

Register for the December 12 webinar

 

Plan to attend a webinar about the link between depression and dementia. Hosted by the American Society on Aging, the webinar will cover strategies and resources to help care professionals address depression and build cognitive resilience.

 

Send us your news

Do you have news to share about LTSS in Indian Country? Send it to ltssinfo@kauffmaninc.com, and we'll include it in a newsletter. Contact us with other comments or feedback, too.

 

About the newsletter

American Indian/Alaska Native Long-Term Services and Supports Solutions is published monthly by the CMS Division of Tribal Affairs to share information, funding opportunities, and resources with LTSS planners, tribal leaders, and supporters.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Indian Health ServiceAdministration for Community Living