Rural Dementia Action Research memory clinic launched in Esterhazy
The University of Regina’s Dementia Supports in Rural Saskatchewan (DSRS) team, working in collaboration with the University of Saskatchewan’s Rural Dementia Action Research (RaDAR) team, have established a memory clinic in the Esterhazy District Medical Clinic. The clinic provides assessment and management support for people with symptoms or concerns about dementia, including memory loss.
“The RaDAR memory clinic project is one of several projects we are supporting in the Yorkton – Melville area that seeks to improve the quality of life of people living with dementia in rural and smaller urban communities,” said Dr. Bonnie Jeffery with the Faculty of Social Work, University of Regina.
Led by Dr. Mandi Nel, the Esterhazy memory clinic team includes a home care nurse, occupational therapist, pharmacist, and Alzheimer Society First Link Coordinator. The clinics, held once a month initially, will serve two clients, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Each half-day appointment will begin with a team meeting with the patient and family to discuss their concerns and review the appointment plan. Each team member will then assess the patient separately. At the end of the appointment, the team will meet with the patient and family to discuss recommendations and a care plan.
“The RaDAR memory clinics provide access to dementia diagnosis and support in rural communities, saving travel to specialists. We are excited to launch another clinic in Esterhazy with the outstanding team there,” said Dr. Debra Morgan, Professor and Chair of Rural Health Delivery at the Canadian Centre for Rural and Agricultural Health in the Department of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan.
The memory clinic model, developed as part of an ongoing intervention study by the RaDAR team at USask, is based on best practices in primary care for people living with dementia. The model consists of inter-professional team-based care, decision support tools, and specialist-to-provider support. The first one-day RaDAR memory clinic was held by the Kipling primary health care team in 2017. Since then primary health care teams have established clinics in Weyburn, Bengough, Carlyle, Maryfield, Lampman, and now Esterhazy.
The DSRS project team at the U of R collaborates with the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan and other provincial and local organizations to design and implement individual, community and organizational level interventions to improve the social inclusion of older adults with dementia who live in small towns and rural communities in Saskatchewan.
The RaDAR memory clinic is part of the Interventions to Enhance Social Inclusion of Older Adults with Dementia in Saskatchewan, a five-year project funded in-part by the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program, that focuses on raising awareness of the stigma and social isolation experienced by people with dementia and their care partners. The project is being conducted through the Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit (SPHERU), a bi-university research centre at the University of Regina and University of Saskatchewan.
If you would like to learn more about the Esterhazy memory clinic, please contact the Esterhazy District Medical Clinic or Dr. Debra Morgan: debra.morgan@usask.ca.
- 30 -
Who We Are
The Saskatchewan Population Health and Evaluation Research Unit (SPHERU) is a bi-university health research unit. Since it began in 1999, SPHERU has established itself as a leader in population health research – the study of social factors that affect the wellbeing of groups within a population. For more info, visit www.spheru20.ca.
About the University of Regina
Set in the heart of the Canadian prairies we are a comprehensive, mid-sized university where the opportunities are as limitless as the horizon. Our campuses are on Treaty 4 and 6 - the territories of the nêhiyawak, Anihšināpēk, Dakota, Lakota, and Nakoda peoples, and the homeland of the Michif/Métis nation. It is our responsibility to strengthen relationships with Indigenous communities to build a more inclusive future for all. Our three federated colleges, 10 faculties, 25 academic departments, and 18 research centres foster innovative research with practical and theoretical applications. We are committed to cultivating the potential of our 16,700 students and supporting their health and well-being. We take learning beyond the classroom through work and volunteer experiences to develop career-ready graduates.
Let’s go far, together.