Targeting the black church and clergy for disseminating knowledge about Alzheimer's disease and caregiver's support services

Abstract

This paper focuses on efforts to involve the black clergy in disseminating information about Alzheimer's disease and caregiver's support services to African American caregivers of Alzheimer patients. Because few African American families of elderlyAlzheimerpatients use the services of the local Alzheimer's Association, it was thought that this population might benefit from efforts to increase the awareness about both Alzheimer's disease and the Association's support services for caregivers of elderly Alzheimer patients. Three educational training sessions on Alzheimer's disease and caregiver's support services were conducted for clergy and lay persons. Efforts to involve the clergy in the educational training were successful when the training was included as an agenda item on the clergy's regular monthly meeting. Results of a program evaluation and knowledge survey indicated trainees benefitedfrom the Alzheimer's educational training and wished to share their knowledge with other clergy andfamilies of Alzheimer patients. Recommendations are offered for involving the church and clergy in knowledge dissemination about Alzheimer's disease and caregiver's support services.