Year 2008 Priorities

Support persons with dementia and their caregivers by disseminating information about effective interventions for caregivers, and by facilitating support for key dementia caregiver initiatives.

Increase primary care physicians' awareness of and implementation of best practices in detection and management of chronic diseases that cause dementia, including use of community resources. The Primary Care Dementia Network will focus on dementia academic detailing, developing the dementia component of a statewide geriatric education and outreach project, and developing the physician track of the Edna Gates Conference.

Increase dementia competency of direct care workers by distributing and promoting the "everyday language" version of Knowledge and Skills Needed for Dementia Care: A Guide for Direct Care Workers and the Michigan Dementia Education and Training Program Directory. Finalize and promote the dementia competencies self-assessment tool for direct care workers.

Continue the WorriedAboutMemoryLoss.com campaign to increase awareness of the importance of early diagnosis of possible Alzheimer's and dementia warning signs and the value of obtaining information about resources early.

Update the Michigan Dementia Plan.

(November 2006) Dementia Competencies for Michigan Direct Care Workers
The Michigan Dementia Plan has established increasing the dementia competency of health professionals as a priority. The Dementia Competencies Work Group developed and released Knowledge and Skills Needed for Dementia Care: A Guide for Direct Care Workers.

(January 2006) Michigan Dementia Coalition Launches 2006 Dementia Awareness Campaign
The Michigan Dementia Coalition launched a statewide dementia awareness campaign [Worried About Memory Loss] at press conferences on January 10 in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing and Marquette. Throughout 2006, Jarman-Johnson Communication, an MPHI-contracted agency from Grand Rapids, will be providing PSAs and press releases to the media.

(May 2005) Interrupted Alzheimer's Disease Study Yields Hopeful Results
Training the body's immune system to fight back against Alzheimer's disease may still offer a promising option for slowing or even preventing Alzheimer's. Click here for a press release summarizing the results of this recent study conducted by University of Michigan researchers.

(May 2005) Governor's Long-Term Care Task Force Celebrates Signing Of Executive Order 2005-14
The Governor's Long Term Care Task Force provides recommendations that, if promptly implemented, will help Michigan's long-term care system to become increasingly robust and responsive to the needs of our citizens. Download a copy of the LTC Task Force Report (PDF 622k). Review the Executive Order No. 2005-14 [A new window will open with this link.]

(April 2005) Alzheimer's Research Volunteers Needed
The University of Michigan is looking for volunteers to participate in a variety of Alzheimer's research studies. Click here for study summaries, eligibility requirements and information about who to contact.

(August 2003) The Michigan Dementia Coalition and Michigan Department of Community Health released the Michigan Dementia Plan (Full Plan (PDF)) / (Summary (PDF))