Researchers Work to Address Alzheimer’s and Dementia in Rural Communities

Researchers at the University of Minnesota are examining how rural and Indigenous communities cope with Alzheimer's and dementia despite higher rates of the chronic conditions that raise dementia risk and limited access to diagnosis or care. One researcher found Indigenous older adults report higher social cohesion than white rural adults and is documenting community-based understandings of dementia through a project called Memory Keepers.

A separate pilot, MN Ride, gave rural residents exercise bikes with home visits and online coaching, achieving 85% attendance and reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms. A third researcher is touring all 87 Minnesota counties cataloguing grassroots efforts to make communities more dementia-friendly.

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