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The challenges of Alzheimer's increase as the population ages and grows in California, as the number of people living with this and other dementia-related diseases is expected to double in the next 20 years while disparities in access to California's underserved rural communities are more present.
Californians living in rural and remote regions face additional challenges in accessing preventive, screening, diagnostic and care services compared to those living in urban communities, as a lack of public transportation means travel times. longer journeys to access these critical health services and resources.
Dr. Rita Nguyen, California Deputy State Health Surgeon and Director of Population Health for the California Department of Public Health, said Alzheimer's is the cause of death for many residents.
And the thing is, we must work on the needs of the future by creating awareness of the disease: from how it presents, what people can do to prevent it and the available treatments, Nguyen said during an information session held by Ethnic Media Services.
?PI practice internal medicine, most of my patients are older adults and it is wonderful to see when families get involved, when the patients themselves ask questions and it is also the opportunity for greater justice and greater equity in public health outcomes?, commented the official.
Ngutyen expressed concern about the disparities that exist between rural communities, where families and patients often do not have the necessary information at their disposal.
To prevent Alzheimer's, he said, you must work on diet, exercise, sleep and social coexistence, being the key points to consider during the development of the disease.
Carmen Estrada, Executive Director of Inland Caregiver Resource Center (San Bernardino), shared what they are working on to meet the needs of California's underserved rural communities.
?We are part of a network of 11 caregiver resource centers throughout the state of California, our mission is to help families and communities confront and manage the challenges of aging.?, he commented.
Estrada explained that it is not just about leaving leaflets at a community center or a church, but it is that continuous outreach to build relationships and collaborate in the fight against Alzheimer's and support care, not only in person but also by phone, if necessary.
In addition to that, he explained that they work with the community and for the community, forming bonds of affection, taking the translation of texts and information as a necessary tool.
?I thought Latinos don't want to talk about palliative care, but it really depends on how you approach the topic and that's how you get people to talk about it. This is how you learn how they want you to approach them when it comes to things like translation, so it's really important?, ended.
Maria Cortez, a caregiver for a family member with Alzheimer's, a resident of Glenn County and a client of The Peg Taylor Center for Adult Day Health Care in Butte County, shared her experiences with her brother, who was a very strong, gentle and worker.
Maria said that her brother was fired and he himself moved away from his relatives, where no one knew what was happening with his health; He began to behave strangely and differently, the misinformation did not allow them to know more than what they saw and when they knew what was really happening to him, everything changed.
Just like this case, many times beliefs and misinformation become the worst enemy of the patient and their families, so it is necessary to inform and for everyone to get involved, he stressed.
Hagar Dickman, senior attorney at Justice in Aging, commented that the work carried out by family caregivers is very important, who with their love and patience dedicate themselves to guiding and protecting their loved ones during their illness.
Their project focused on identifying barriers to personal care services for individuals, specifically caregivers, being self-directed, meaning consumers have to find, hire, supervise and, if necessary, fire their caregivers.
They conducted more than 80 focus group interviews and interviewed more than 100 people across a wide and diverse range of individuals across the state about these barriers, where they found that low-income people with mid- to advanced-level Alzheimer's and dementia actually They do not have community care options.
?What we saw in the interviews is that people with Alzheimer's or dementia who do not have family caregivers have difficulty navigating through exercise programs with cognitive impairment. So even those who find caregivers at any given time can't get enough hours to keep them at home?, he stressed.
Dickmanque added that the Assisted Living Program has such a long waiting list, of around 3,000 people, that it is really impossible to access that program for rural communities, in addition to being available only in 22 counties, so it is a good option, but not available to everyone; In this way, having alternative programs and staying informed is the best option.
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