The UNC Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) has won a $25,000 grant from the American Geriatrics Society, Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Collaborating Center, to support a 1 day collaboration on American Indian\/Alaska Native health issues. A total of 5 GWEPS will come together on October 27th in Tuscon, Arizona to discuss the complex cultural issues surrounding the provision of healthcare to older Native Americans and Alaska Natives. Native people’s health is disproportionately affected by social determinants such as poverty, unemployment, inadequate formal education, etc. Higher rates of diabetes are found across all tribes with higher rates of specific illnesses being found regionally for example, dementia mortality rates are 50% higher in North Carolina. This collaboration provides an opportunity to learn about and evaluate existing resources, and share lessons learned from one GWEP to another. The teams from Alaska, Arizona, California, North Carolina and Wyoming reach almost 150 tribes with over 500,000 people. The GWEPs expect to share educational products and build models of care to address the health disparities in these rural communities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"