December 2021 Promoting Caregiving Across the Full Community Strong public health leadership is
essential to engage community partners and caregivers in driving
structural changes that support effective, sustained caregiving for all
people living with dementia. The number of people living with dementia
is growing, and a common and persistent challenge is providing
equitable access to supportive resources that meet the needs of diverse
caregivers, no matter their age, race or ethnicity, geography,
employment status, language or other factors. A new two-page
executive summary and webinar
recording spell out six strategies for public health to promote the
health of caregivers across all populations. The full action brief — Promoting Caregiving Across the Full
Community: The Role for Public Health Strategists —
also includes tools and resources that public health officials can use
in applying their chief health strategist role to the issue of dementia
caregiving. Now Available: New Summaries on Modifiable Risk Factors
for Dementia Short summaries on modifiable risk
factors for cognitive decline and dementia are now available from the Public
Health Center of Excellence on Dementia Risk Reduction. Each paper
reviews the current state of the science and discusses the implications
for public health. Nine summaries are available, covering diabetes and
obesity; physical activity; social engagement; diet and nutrition;
vascular health; sleep; smoking and alcohol; sensory impairments; and
traumatic brain injury. For more information, contact CenterOfExcellence@alz.org.
Emerging Evidence Subjective Cognitive Decline More Common Among
Caregivers One in 8 unpaid caregivers over age
45 report subjective cognitive decline (SCD), a rate 24% higher than
for non-caregivers, according to a new
analysis recently published in MMWR.
Based on data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System
(BRFSS), SCD – self-reported difficulties in memory or thinking that
are getting worse – was reported by 12.6% of caregivers compared with
10.2% of non-caregivers. Caregivers with SCD are more likely than
noncaregivers to report frequent mental distress, a history of
depression, and frequent activity limitations. Among caregivers,
those with SCD are more likely to be men, employed, and have other
chronic health conditions.
Upcoming Webinars and Recordings - The
National Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center will host a webinar
on Wednesday, January 19 at 3:00 p.m.
ET. Participants will learn about the benefits of
intergenerational programming, understand how to create mutually
beneficial programming, learn how to assess the needs of both
children and clients with dementia, and identify children and
youth who can provide care to someone with dementia.
- A recording
from the BOLD Public Health Center of Excellence on Dementia
Caregiving is now available. The webinar addressed how and why
dementia caregiving is a public health concern.
- Recordings
from AARP’s Global Council on Brain Health webinar series are now
available. The series of webinars explored the area of behavior
change as it relates to brain-healthy lifestyles.
This edition of Alzheimer’s Public Health
News is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a
financial assistance award totaling $2,795,933 with 100 percent funded
by CDC/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not
necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by
CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government. For subscription services, please visit alz.org/publichealth 
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