Alzheimer's Disease, Dementias and Healthy Aging

September Newsletter

Eat & Drink Healthy - Choose fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, low-fat dairy products more often. Drink plenty of water.

Move More, Sit Less - Being active can help you prevent, delay, and manage

chronic diseases; improve balance and stamina; reduce risk of falls; and

improve brain health.

Don’t Use Tobacco - If you use tobacco, take the first step towards

quitting by calling contacting 802-QUITS for FREE help.

Get Regular Checkups - Visit your healthcare team for preventive services, not just when you’re sick. This can prevent disease or find it early, when treatment is more effective.

Know Your Family History - Share your family health history with your doctor, who can help you take steps to prevent chronic diseases or catch them early.

Be Aware of Changes in Brain Health - Everyone’s brain changes as

they age, but dementia is not a normal part of aging. See your healthcare provider if you have questions about your memory

or brain health.

Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience Model

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), announced its Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model, which aims to improve the quality of life for people living with dementia, reduce strain on unpaid caregivers, and help people remain in their homes and communities through a package of care coordination and management, caregiver education and support, and respite services. The GUIDE Model will be tested by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation and is a key deliverable for advancing key goals of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease (National Plan). CMS will be seeking clinicians nationwide, who are interested in participating in the test period.

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

The Vermont Departments of Health, Mental Health, and the Center for Health and Learning have partnered to create a Suicide Prevention Outreach and Social Media Toolkit . Organizations and community members can use the toolkit to promote Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and the FacingSuicideVT public health campaign on social media in September and the months to follow. 

FacingSuicideVT focuses on raising awareness about suicide and promoting the idea that all Vermonters can play a role in preventing suicide and supporting others who have been affected by suicide in some way. The campaign includes a website that features the voices and images of Vermonters who have been affected by suicide in some way, and many of the images and quotes included in this toolkit and website are from Vermonters.

There are many ways you can get involved in your community to prevent suicide. With your help, we can raise awareness about suicide prevention and mental health and face the issue of suicide together. Learn more about how you can get involved: https://facingsuicidevt.com/get-involved

Older Adult Oral Health

By 2060, according to the US Census, the number of US adults aged 65 years or older is expected to reach 98 million, 24% of the overall population. Older Americans with the poorest oral health tend to be those who are economically disadvantaged, lack insurance, and are members of racial and ethnic minorities. Being disabled, homebound, or a resident of a long term care facility also increases the risk of poor oral health. Also, adults 50 years and older who smoke are also less likely to get dental care than people who do not smoke. Many older Americans do not have dental insurance because they lost their benefits upon retirement and the federal Medicare program does not cover routine dental care. Learn more about how you can maintain your oral health and prevent oral health problems.

Creating Dementia Friendly Communities for Social Inclusion

An inclusive dementia-friendly community can be defined as a place where people with dementia can be understood, respected, supported, and feel confident about being able to contribute to the community. Social inclusion refers to a dynamic process where people engage with, and are part of, their social networks in the community to maintain meaningful social relations. Social inclusion refers to characteristics of (a) social integration, (b) social support, and (c) access to resources. Raising awareness and education across all societal sectors helps to minimize stigma and enable social acceptance. 

University of Vermont Project ECHO:

Dementia Diagnosis and Care

for Primary Care Teams

This five-session tele-education series will discuss diagnosis and evidence-based care for persons with dementia and their caregivers. The program will identify strategies, best practices, screening tools, resources, clinical pearls, and emerging topics in this field. Scan the QR code below to register. DEADLINE September 1.