DURHAM, N.C (WTVD) — Alzheimer’s disease affects over 7 million Americans, reshaping the lives of those diagnosed as well as the families and caregivers who support them.

As cases rise — and many go undetected in early stages — a national program is working to improve how frontline healthcare workers recognize signs of cognitive decline.

Duke University nursing student Jessica Hooks is among the newest fellows in the Brain Health Equity Nurse Fellowship, a national initiative led by UsAgainstAlzheimer’s. The program trains nurses to promote brain health, educate communities about dementia risk and help connect patients with care sooner.

Hooks said her motivation is personal.

“I know firsthand what it feels like to have a lack of information and sometimes misinformation,” Hooks said. “Even in the healthcare world, there are a lot of unanswered questions. I know what it feels like to have questions and no answers, to not know the early warning signs or about early testing.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identifies Alzheimer’s as the most common form of dementia, with symptoms typically appearing after age 60. Nurses — often the first point of contact in clinical settings — play a key role in noticing early changes families may miss.

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Yet cognitive health training isn’t standard in nursing education, said Daphne Delgado, a director at UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, a nonprofit advocacy and research organization.

“It’s not part of nursing education,” Delgado said. “Unless nurses seek it out, they’re not getting education on brain health and Alzheimer’s. We saw a gap, and we’re helping fill the need by giving trusted professionals evidence-based information and the confidence to share it in their communities.”

Now in its fifth national cohort, the fellowship has trained 45 nurses nationwide.

Participants study disease prevention, risk factors and communication strategies, and many lead community outreach events to expand awareness. The organization says 98% of community members and 96% of nurse peers who received training plan to share the information with others — a sign of growing impact in high risk communities.

A major focus of the program is reducing disparities in Alzheimer’s risk and care. Communities of color face higher rates of dementia yet often have less access to early detection and culturally appropriate education.

“I hope it gives people hope,” Delgado said. “If you’re in your younger or middle life, there are things you can do to potentially prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimer’s, regardless of family history. And for those in later life, it’s about knowing who to turn to.”

Hooks said bringing this information to patients in a culturally relevant way is central to why she joined the fellowship.

“It is humbling. It’s an honor to learn as much as I can about Alzheimer’s and brain health so I can translate that information to the patients I serve,” she said. “Brain health education is very important, and it needs to be disseminated to all communities.”

UsAgainstAlzheimer’s says empowering nurses is one of the most effective ways to close knowledge gaps and expand brain health education nationwide.

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