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Minnesota Northstar Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program
About GWEP
MN GWEP Projects
Bringing Together Minnesota's Best Minds in Geriatrics Care and Education
Educating Current and Future Health Professionals in Age-Friendly Care
Transforming Primary Care Clinics for Age-Friendly Care and Learning
Offering Public Education and Support for Families and Direct Care Workers
Focusing on Dementia Care, Support, and Safety
Dementia Resources
Age-Friendly Health Systems
GWEP News
One of the Minnesota Northstar GWEP's missions is to provide tools and resources to help support older adults who may be experiencing dementia—while offering support to their caregivers as well. From conferences to webinars to in-person seminars, MN GWEP offers many ways for you to find assistance.
Joseph E. Gaugler, PhD, is a professor and the Robert L. Kane Endowed Chair in Long-Term Care and Aging, University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Here you will find information about Dr. Gaugler's various Minnesota Northstar GWEP activities.
DEER Roadshow
A Minnesota county tour on dementia and dementia care, Dementia Educational Experience Roadshow (DEER) is an educational program that offers critical skills training and education for caregivers, families, communities and health professionals. The program leader is Joe Gaugler, PhD, who serves as professor and the Robert L. Kane Endowed Chair in Long-Term Care and Aging at the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota.
Dementia Q&A Webinars
Watch this interactive webinar from the first event in June 2021 featuring an interprofessional panel of experts who answer questions about dementia and dementia care. Panelists include a geriatrician, a psychologist, a cultural expert, a physical therapist, a geriatric pharmacist, and a lawyer to address questions and concerns related to living with dementia, dementia care, and the key issues that often come up.
View the presentation slides
Watch this webinar from the second Q&A event in October 2021 featuring a different but equally expert interprofessional panel who answer questions about dementia and dementia care. This presentation was in collaboration with the Minnesota Northstar GWEP and the Riverside Center for Excellence in Aging and Lifelong Health in Virginia.
Through the Minnesota Northstar GWEP's partnership with Dementia Friends, we offer a training program for students, direct care providers, and a variety of healthcare professionals. You will find training specifically catered to healthcare clinicians as well as dental team members.
Recordings of Past Educational Events about Dementia
Alzheimer's Disease: What Is It and What Can Be Done?
Caring for People with Memory Loss Conference
COVID-19 and Living with Dementia
Dementia Q&A Panel Webinar
How Dementia Affects the Brain, Behavior, Cognition, and Personality
Alzheimer's Disease: What It Is and What Can Be Done
Approximately 94,000 Minnesotans live with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia, and a quarter million people provide unpaid care to these individuals. The value of this care to Minnesota and society is over $3.5 billion dollars per year, which exceeds the annual revenue of some Fortune 500 companies.
In a tour across the state of Minnesota, Professor Gaugler has met with with families and professionals to talk about Alzheimer's disease, share information and stories, and help us realize we are not alone on the dementia journey. Although the in-person visits have paused during the pandemic, free online webinars have allowed more people to learn about Alzheimer's.
When Dr. Gaugler presents, he focuses on the live questions from the audience. Therefore, the recordings from 2020 and 2021 answer different questions.
See the presentation from 2020 and the most recent presentation recording from October 2021.
Download the presentation slides:
Alzheimers disease What it is and what can be done 11-21.pptx_.pdf
African Immigrant Dementia Education Project
The project is building on the foundation that is being laid by the African Immigrant Memory Loss Project and features an ongoing partnership between African Career, Education, and Resources, Inc. (ACER) and the University of Minnesota.
The goal of this project is to develop a culturally tailored dementia education program. For more information, please contact us.
View dementia resources in the Age-Friendly Care and Education Collection, a curated collection that highlights educational and clinical resources for educators, health professionals, learners, patients, caregivers, and others interested in improving care for older adults.
If you are interested in having Dr. Gaugler visit your county, please contact Ashley Millenbah, MPH, at 612-424-1894 or [email protected] for more information.
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612-301-GWEP (612-301-4937)
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