University of Indianapolis Center for Aging & Community

September 15th is the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month. It is a month to highlight, celebrate and share the contributions, culture and experiences of Hispanics/Latinos in the United States. The National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA) vision is one of "a society where Hispanic/Latino communities are able to prosper and live in comfort and dignity, throughout each phase of their life. That is the change we believe in, and the change we work to achieve" and it is alignment with the the theme for this year "Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together.” An area of change that is needed and starting to happen is how to culturally support Hispanic/Latino caregivers. We appreciate this article by Donna de Levante Raphael, Ph.D., M.S., MBA about Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease in the Hispanic Community: Its Impact on Families https://lnkd.in/gyMTpuzR

Join us in welcoming Raisa Kanji as the newest member of University of Indianapolis Center for Aging & Community team. She will be working with CAC as a Graduate Assistant. Raisa is a 2nd-year doctoral student in the PsyD program at the University of Indianapolis. She graduated with a BS in Psychology and Business Administration and Management from the University of Indianapolis. Before embarking on her graduate studies Raisa worked as a Client Associate at a Tech Market Research company primarily focusing on Project Management and Customer Relations. Raisa is an international student, she was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya. She is currently an Apartment Community Assistant, BUILD Tutor, and Co-Chair of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences Student Diversity Committee at UIndy. Her professional interests include working with diverse, underserved, underrepresented, and minority populations across various settings. She is very passionate about promoting access to mental health and quality-of-life services for communities that tend to be overlooked and underappreciated. In her spare time, Raisa enjoys baking, doing jigsaw puzzles, and watching crime and medical TV shows.

Thank you to The Female Quotient for highlighting this phenomenal group of older adults.

Project Firstline Infection Control and Prevention Training Materials Available The University of Indianapolis Center for Aging & Community, working with the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH), is bringing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Project Firstline infection prevention and control education to frontline healthcare workers. Designed to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases in U.S. healthcare settings, there are four ways to get involved and use these CDC-developed resources for yourself or your organization. 1) Project Firstline Modules Current healthcare workers can access infection prevention video modules online at no cost to learn at their own pace. 2) Project Firstline resources direct to your phone Text INFECTION to 317-779-3225 to receive weekly Project Firstline resources direct to your mobile phone. 3) CNA Training Support CNA Lesson Plans are easily accessible to utilize in your instruction plan.   4) Schools of Nursing Join other Indiana schools of nursing in providing and evaluating Project Firstline content for their cohorts of nursing students. All of these resources can be accessed at University of Indianapolis Center for Aging & Community Project Firstline Webpage under the Get Involved section. Sign up for a Project Firstline monthly newsletter to receive updates on various resources. Please take the Project Firstline survey while you are looking at all the free infection prevention resources. https://lnkd.in/gfPteVJm

2.1 million grandparents - and an unknown number of other kinship caregivers- open their arms and homes each year to children who cannot remain with their parents. While each family is different, one characteristic they all share is the presence of a kin or grandparent caregiver who is providing support, love, and stability to vulnerable children—often outside the child welfare system. September celebrates Grandparents Day and Kinship Care Month. This blog from Administration for Community Living shares the importance of grandparent and kinship caregivers and discusses the complexity these caregivers face navigating support systems. https://lnkd.in/ea3mnJv2

Happy National Assisted Living Week! Established by the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) in 1995, National Assisted Living Week® provides a unique opportunity for residents, their loved ones, staff, volunteers, and the surrounding communities to recognize the role of assisted living in caring for America’s seniors and individuals with disabilities. The annual observance encourages assisted living communities around the country to offer a variety of events and activities to celebrate the individuals they serve, as well as to help educate members of the public about this distinctive aspect of long term care. https://lnkd.in/dZwGCPi

University of Indianapolis Center for Aging & Community in partnership with CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions, Dementia Friends Indiana, Dementia Friendly Indianapolis, Reimagining Dementia: A Creative Coalition for Justice present an afternoon of fun, fall festivities and treats as we celebrate reimagining dementia. 

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. It is described by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) – as a time to remember the lives lost to suicide, acknowledge the millions more who have experienced suicidal thoughts, and the many individuals, families and communities that have been impacted by suicide. It’s also a time to raise awareness about suicide prevention and share messages of hope. In 2022, among the nearly 49,449 suicides that took place in the U.S., 10,433 were attributed to people age 65 and up from data obtained by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National Council on Aging's article gives facts, warning signs and conversational guidance on older adults and suicide.

Are you looking for a 🌟FREE🌟 education on Pressure Injury Prevention? Look no further- Indiana Department of Health in partnership with University of Indianapolis Center for Aging & Community are offering a free virtual course on that particular topic. Topics covered will include utilizing QAPI to set up an effective pressure injury prevention program, risk assessment, care planning, prevention of skin breakdown, assessment, staging, topical treatment, and lower extremity ulcers. CEUs are available through the Indiana Department of Health for administrators and social workers. For more information click on the link below. https://lnkd.in/gDKi8YKm Photo credit: Fiona Murray on Unsplash

Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Division of Aging is excited to announce the launch of a comprehensive needs assessment survey of older adults. Postcards inviting residents age 60 and older to take the Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults were mailed to randomly selected households across the state, followed by a paper survey packet with postage-paid return envelope. Households that receive these mailings are asked to follow the enclosed instructions and complete the survey. This questionnaire is in English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Arabic, Vietnamese, Hindi, and Tagalog, instructions on how to access it are included in the survey packet. All eligible residents will have the opportunity to complete the survey beginning on Sept. 4, 2024. Use the link below to “Follow” the State of Indiana CASOA, create an account, and receive an email notification when the survey is live. “We strongly encourage all eligible residents to take the survey. The more people who participate, the better data we will have to inform our planning efforts, including Indiana’s Age Forward Together initiative,” said Leslie Lorenzano Huckleberry Director of the Division of Aging. “This is an opportunity for everyone to share their thoughts and shape the future of aging in Indiana.” Indiana is conducting this survey in partnership with Area Agencies on Aging throughout the state and Polco, a trusted research firm and civic engagement platform. Developed by National Research Center at Polco, the questionnaire covers different factors impacting older adults’ quality of life, including local employment and volunteer opportunities, housing, accessibility, mobility, and physical and mental health. Survey results will help identify the greatest challenges and needs for older adults across the state. This public input will support the development of policies, initiatives, and community programs. Participants’ responses will be kept confidential, and personal information will be securely stored. Residents’ individual data and answers are never shared. For more information on this survey, please contact your local Area Agency on Aging at 800-713-9023 or the Division of Aging at 888-673-0002. https://lnkd.in/e_qaDhcH https://lnkd.in/eA3W4kEK Photo by Firmbee.com on Unsplash