COLLEGE OF NEW CALEDONIA
CNC researchers publish dementia guidance for Northcentral B.C. communities

Short on time? Here are the highlights:

• Saturday September 21 is World Alzheimer's Day. Approximately 750,000 Canadians are living with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia and this number is expected to more than double by 2050. 
• Northcentral B.C. faces unique challenges compared to more urban regions when it comes to receiving a timely diagnosis or proper and nearby dementia care. 
• CNC's Applied Research and Innovation department engaged with communities in Northcentral B.C. to gain a better understanding of local needs and concerns about dementia awareness and care. 
• Research recommendations regarding lifestyle choices for regional and Indigenous populations that can delay the onset or prevent dementia are bundled in an online guide: Mind the Gap: Dementia Guidance for the North. The guide is freely available to educators and the public.

Saturday September 21 is World Alzheimer's Day. Dementia is a significant health concern that is affecting a growing number of people in Canada. Approximately 750,000 Canadians are living with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia and this number is expected to more than double by 2050.

Northern B.C. faces unique challenges compared to more urban regions when it comes to dementia. CNC's dementia guidance project attempted to explore those challenges and develop ways to address them.

CNC dementia guidance project 

CNC Psychology Instructor and Research Lead Dr. Dinesh Ramoo presented these and other research findings from the dementia guidance project at the Canadian Psychological Association's annual national convention in Ottawa last June.  

With funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada's Dementia Strategic Fund and in partnership with the Alzheimer Society B.C., CNC's Applied Research and Innovation department engaged with communities in Northcentral B.C. to gain a better understanding of local needs and concerns about dementia awareness and care.

Together with Research Associate Salima Somani and a dedicated group of Student Research Assistants, Dr. Ramoo consulted with family caregivers, health care and wellness providers, and post-secondary students in rural and remote regions, as well as among ethnic minorities and Indigenous populations. Eight dementia awareness workshops were conducted throughout CNC's service region. 
 
Dr. Tamara Chambers-Richards (Dean, CNC School of Health Sciences), Troy Morin (Associate Dean, CNC School of Human Services, University Transfer and Business Studies) and Corinne George (Regional Principle, CNC Burns Lake campus) further contributed to the research project by providing health care expertise, sharing insights on Indigenous-specific issues and facilitating First Nations connections.

"It's important for CNC that our research projects directly benefit the communities we serve. Our researchers collaborate with a wide range of partners in the public and private sector and gather community input to address social issues. We also engage student researchers so they can apply their skills and expertise beyond the classroom to help solve problems for local causes," says Dr. Tamara Chambers-Richards - Dean, CNC School of Health Sciences. 

"This research work is significant in informing the education we provide to new and current health care professionals through a dementia-friendly lens. It helps them to build the knowledge, confidence and skills to provide appropriate and person-centred care to people living with dementia," says Cindy Heitman - President, CNC. 

Dementia guidance for regional and Indigenous populations in northern B.C. 

Dr. Ramoo and Salima Somani bundled their research recommendations in an online guide: Mind the Gap: Dementia Guidance for the North. The guide details physical, psychological, social, and environmental lifestyle choices for regional and Indigenous populations that can delay the onset or prevent dementia.
 
Patients in rural, remote and Indigenous communities are often left isolated and vulnerable because there aren't enough local health care providers, nearby family members, care facilities or transportation options for them. This lack of resources can also mean they don't receive a timely diagnosis or proper care close to where they and their families live.   

All College and community materials and educational resources developed for the research project are freely available for educators and the public as part of this online guide.  

With ongoing local interest in the workshops, the project's researchers are currently applying for small grants to continue delivering dementia awareness sessions across Northcentral B.C. and bring high school students and young adults into this important community conversation.