Racine/Kenosha Wisconsin Chapter of the National Black Nurses Association
On Saturday, May 27th Ron Tatum sat down with the Racine/Kenosha Wisconsin Chapter of the National Black Nurses Association on behalf of Kenosha Area Family & Aging Services, Inc. (KAFASI)to talk about the impact Dementia and Alzheimer’s has in the Black and Brown Communities. We shared the programs and resources KAFASI and the Aging Disability Resource Center of Racine/Kenosha has to help cope with this silent epidemic from educational workshops and so much more.
Some takeaways from the meeting were:
- Black Americans are twice as likely as older Whites to have Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia?
- Older Hispanics are about one and one-half times as likely to have Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia as older Whites.
- Kenosha Area Family & Aging Services, Inc. has programs that help families cope with this devastating disease. Our Programs include a Music and Memory Program that helps bring memories back to life through the sound of music. Did you know we will also provide you with an MP3 Player and download your music of choice?
As a non-profit and the Executive Director and leader of the Kenosha Area Family & Aging Services, Inc. agency and someone whose family has been personally impacted, and as a man of color in this leadership role, I (we) have a responsibility to expand our outreach and resources to all in the community we serve and to educate them on the resources available to them.
As the size of the U.S. population age 65 and older continues to grow, so too will the number and proportion of Americans with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. By 2050, the number of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s may grow to a projected 12.7 million, barring the development of medical breakthroughs to prevent or cure Alzheimer’s disease. Over 40% of those individuals will be of the Black and Brown Communities.
Thank You to the Racine/Kenosha. Black Nurses Association for the platform today to talk about this silent epidemic, and your help in educating the black and brown communities on resources available to help families cope with this disease.
