Page 34 - Healthy Brain Initiative, State and Local Public Health Partnerships to Address Dementia: The 2018-2023 Road Map

W =
ASSURE A COMPETENT WORKFORCE

Outcome: functioning and caregiving into existing health
IMPROVED PRACTICE IN PROMOTING promotion and chronic disease efforts has the potential
HEALTH AND REDUCING RISK to increase the reliability of care and related outcomes.

W-1 Educate public health and healthcare The Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program
professionals on sources of reliable (GWEP), supported by the Health Resources and
information about brain health and ways to Services Administration (HRSA), a federal agency, is a
use the information to inform those valuable resource to educate healthcare professionals.
they serve. Currently, 44 GWEP centers specialize in integrating
geriatrics with primary care and are charged with
W-2 Ensure that health promotion and chronic developing a healthcare workforce that maximizes
disease interventions include messaging for patient and family engagement and improves health
healthcare providers that underscores the outcomes for older adults. 35 The centers are mostly
essential role of caregivers and the based in schools of medicine, nursing, allied health,
importance of maintaining their health and and social work. •
well-being.

Public health increasingly works side-by-side with
an array of healthcare organizations to improve the
health of communities. Sometimes this is through
partnerships with federally qualified health centers
(FQHCs), Medicaid providers, nonprofit hospitals,
and health plans. Public health and healthcare
professionals need materials they can share with
consumers, especially credible information on brain
health and ways to reduce risk of cognitive decline.
Outreach to health professionals can call attention to Caregivers in New Mexico learned
the importance of supporting caregivers’ health and how to better manage their own health
their role in managing dementia and other chronic through two community education
conditions and ensuring safety. Integrating cognitive programs. Learn more on page 49.

28 Healthy Brain Initiative State and Local Public Health Partnerships to Address Dementia: The 2018–2023 Road Map