COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS: A MODEL FOR LIFELONG DISABILITIES AND DEMENTIA CARE

In 2015 the Rhode Island Geriatric Education Center (RIGEC) was one of 44 organizations funded by HRSA to implement the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP). A primary objective was to develop and deliver Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) education to patients, families, caregivers, and health professionals, with a focus on special populations. Concurrently, Seven Hills Rhode Island, a nonprofit agency that serves people with disabilities, received a grant from the Administration for Community Living (ACL) to provide education and resources to health professionals and caregivers of people with I/DD. As goals for both projects aligned closely, they worked together, fostering a strong partnership, amplifying the opportunity to offer high-quality educational programs and reach target audiences. Lessons learned from this networked approach are critical to informing sustained improvements to the I/DD and health care systems in subsequent GWEP projects.