American Indian and Alaska Native Programs
Picture of Native shield.
PROJECT TITLE: NATIVE ELDERS, DEMENTIA, AND FAMILY CAREGIVING
FUNDING SOURCE: National Institute of Aging
DATES OF FUNDING: 2001-2006
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR(S): Lori L. Jervis, Ph.D.
CENTER STAFF INVOLVED: Lori L. Jervis, Ph.D., Spero M. Manson, Ph.D.

SPECIFIC AIMS/RESEARCH GOALS:
This study has 3 Specific Aims:

  1. to explore the cultural phenomenology of cognitive impairment within an American Indian community,
  2. to test the acceptability and validity of a culturally modified dementia evaluation among Native elders, and
  3. to examine family caregiving for older Natives with dementia, both its burdens and its gratifications.


RESEARCH DESIGN:

  1. Focus groups with Native elders, family caregivers, and health/social services providers to assess and modify measures for cultural relevance,
  2. Interviews with 150 Native elders and 40 caregivers.   Along with structured measures, each interview has a semi-structured component designed to explore people’s experiences and the meanings they assign to them.

PARTICIPANTS:
Elders who are clients of a senior nutrition program on a Northern Plains reservation and their family caregivers.

MEASURES:
Elder Interview:

  1. Selected questions from AI-SUPERPFP's demographic module
  2. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)
  3. Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (MDRS)
  4. Caregiver Screener
  5. Debriefing Questions
  6. Semi-Structured Interview Guide


CAREGIVER INTERVIEW:

  1. Selected questions from AI-SUPERPFP's demographic module
  2. Semi-Structured Interview Guide
  3. Burden Interview
  4. Picot Caregiver Reward Scale

PUBLICATIONS:
Data collection for this project has not yet begun.