Advisory Council November 2020 Meeting Presentation: Promotoras Program

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

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Promotoras Program -- For a Better Quality of Life

According to the University of Southern California, the number of Latinos with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is expected to increase by 832% (379,000 to 1.1 million) from 2012 to 2060.

Impact

• Risk factors are compounded by the barriers faced by this community such as lower educational and income levels.
• As a result, Latinos are more likely to delay treatment and receive inadequate care for AD, exacerbated by difficulty communicating with providers.
• Hispanic caregivers (who are often family relatives) spend approximately 30 hours a week caregiving.

Working with Community Health Workers (CHWs)

• An important strategy in increasing culturally competent services for the Hispanic community is working with Community Health Workers.
• CHWs are members of the target population, which means they share social, cultural, and economic characteristics.
• CHWs can raise awareness of AD in underserved populations and bridge the gap between health institutions, available resources, and communities.
• CHWs can recruit and educate caregivers by visiting churches, community clinics, parks, senior centers, etc. CHWs roles are: Patient advocate, Educator, Mentor, Outreach Worker and Translator

Goals

Implementation of Promotoras Program in Suburban Cook County in Illinois funded by the Administration of Community Living Grant ID 90ADPI0012 Year 2018.

1. Increase access to quality and effective bilingual/bicultural dementia-capable direct supportive services in the Hispanic community of Suburban Cook County in the State of Illinois.
2. Increase the number of Alzheimer's and dementia programs targeted to Hispanic communities as well as underserved patients with dementia and their families, by accommodating them with caring tools, symptom management training, and direct services.

Improving the Quality of Life of adults living alone with ADRD, or at Risk of ADRD

Objective: 1 -- Identify Latino adults living alone with ADRD, or at risk of ADRD and expand the capacity of existing in-home and community-based services of Latino dementia service providers to improve the health, safety and quality of life of these individuals.

• Impact Outcomes:
  • 60 CHWs from Suburban Cook County informed a total of 6,887 Hispanic individuals about the For a Better Quality of Life program.
  • A total of 710 memory screenings were offered during the first year, increasing knowledge of risk factors associated with dementia and encouraging individuals to see a physician for diagnosis or treatment if indicated.
    • CHWs encouraged a total of 517 individuals to see a physician for diagnosis and/or treatment.

Increasing caregiver ADRD knowledge and preparedness

Objective: 2 -- Offer and conduct the evidence-informed intervention: Over the three years of the project,offer Savvy Caregiver educational sessions to at least 300 Latino caregivers to provide resources and symptom management training.

• Impact Outcomes:
  • 60 CHWs trained to provide a 4-week family caregiver skills program (SAVVY) adapted for adult Latino family caregivers.
  • SAVVY educational sessions provided to 107 Latino caregivers.

Addressing loneliness

Objective: 3 -- LAMDA community health workers will provide important awareness information, through traditional and social media, to individuals including those who have ADRD and are living alone.

• Activities:
  • 60 CHWs provided individual care consultant (CC) service to 314 persons in the community with possible cognitive impairment living alone, or at high risk of ADRD.
  • 12 Health fairs were conducting in collaboration with key partners like the Illinois Dept. on Aging Division of Older American Services, and AAA area 13 in Illinois, Mexican Consulate, SINAI, Alivio community Clinics, and 8 Suburban Cook Schools.
  • LAMDA provided a total of 6 Radio interviews and 2 TV interviews. reaching approximately 7,100 Latinx.
  • A total of 7,000 Fact Sheets disseminated in the community (Churches, Community Clinics, District Parks, etc.).
  • LAMDA staff tracked a total number of 8,834 individuals reached by the number of "likes", "comments", "shares", and by collecting information through surveys (for traditional media).

Sustainability

Objective: 4 -- Implement a plan to incorporate and sustain identified objectives into the continuum of community dementia care for Latinos.

• Activities:
  1. Revenue: LAMDA is exploring potential additional sources of revenue.
     1. LAMDA is working with its key partners (SINAI, Loyola, Alivio Community Clinics and the Consulate of Mex.) who provide space for project activities.
     2. LAMDA, in collaboration with Hispanic Media, uses two annual fundraising activities outside the scope of this project to increase awareness of project activities.
  2. Service Operations: In year 3, LAMDA will identify 4 future leaders and train 20 new CHWs.
  3. Community Support: LAMDA is cultivating community support for this program, establishing it as a vital part of the community by convening an advisory council.

Outcomes

1. Increase knowledge of risk factors associated with developing dementia among the Hispanic community.
2. Increase Alzheimer's disease management skills among Hispanic caregivers and persons living alone with ADRD
3. Increase cultural competence and linguistic appropriateness of services dedicated to caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's.

Promotoras Program in Suburban Cook County in Illinois Data from October 2019 to March 30th 2020

Number of People Served by Patient/Caregiver and ADRD Status	#
Latino Living Alone with ADRD	8
Latino Living Alone at Risk of ADRD	571
Caregiver of Latino living with ADRD	13
Caregiver of Latino at Risk of ADRD	71

Promotoras Program in Suburban Cook County in Illinois Data from October 2019 to March 30th 2020

Types of assistance Needed, Referred and Attended
	Need	Referred		Attended
	#	#	%	#	%
Shopping Assistance	22	13	59.1	12	92.3
Home-delivered Meals	15	12	80	11	91.7
Home Repair	14	9	64.3	8	88.9
PCP Appointment	48	37	77.1	31	83.8
Transportation	32	19	59.6	18	94.7
Memory Screening	567	565	99.6	565	100
***Other	40	6	15	4	66.7
Total	738	661	98.7	649	98.2
***Most common other needs include diabetes, high blood pressure, finances, and depression

Aspects of the Promotoras Program that can be Replicated Nationwide

• Recruit and Train CHWs Nationwide in Key Latino Geographical Areas
  • Far West Region -- New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon
  • Southeast Region -- Florida, Georgia, Virginia
  • Midwest Region -- Oklahoma. Kansas, Illinois, Wisconsin
  • Mideast Region -- New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania
  • Texas -- Statewide
  • California -- Statewide
• Leverage Key Nationwide partners like AAA's Agencies, Red Cross, UNIVISION and Consulate of Mex.
• CHWs IDENTIFY and MEET the needs of Individuals with ADRD and their Caregivers
• Implementation of Promotoras Program Model to:
  • Increase access to quality and effective bilingual/bicultural dementia-capable direct supportive services in the Hispanic community.
  • Increase the number of Alzheimer's and dementia programs targeted to Hispanic communities as well as underserved patients with dementia and their families, by accommodating them with caring tools, symptom management training, and direct services.

Contact

Constantina Mizis
CEO
Latino Alzheimer's and Memory disorders Alliance
6112 W. Cermak Rd. Cicero, Illinois 60804
Email: Constantina.Mizis@latinoalzheimersalliance.org
Phone: 708.714-4268