Cultural Awareness: Indigenous Peoples & Dementia (with Dr. Blythe Winchester)

Experiences of dementia and aging are grounded in Indigenous knowledge and culture, often resulting in memory loss being considered part of the natural lifecycle. That, and other barriers have made the work of Dr. Blythe Winchester, the Director for Geriatrics Services at Cherokee Indian Hospital & Chief Clinical Consultant in Geriatrics & Palliative Care with Indian Health Services, that much more important and impactful. She helps us untangle the alarming rate at which Indigenous peoples are projected to develop cognitive decline over the next 40 years and what efforts are being made to care for, support, and educate rural communities about this disease. While there are no specific words for “dementia” in Indigenous languages, her passion for this community helps bring the reality of this disease to light and connects people with the resources they need.

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