At the request from the Oneida Nation Commission on Aging (ONCOA), a team of physicians, researchers and Alzheimer’s disease experts from UW-Madison gave an educational presentation and offered memory screening at the Oneida Nation reservation on April 10, 2018. The event was part of an ongoing collaboration between the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ARDC), the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute (WAI), ONCOA, the Oneida Community Advisory Board (CAB), and Oneida Elder Services.

Located in northeast Wisconsin, the reservation is home to approximately 4,500 tribal members of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, a branch of the Iroquois tribes. 

More data are needed, but recent research suggests that  Native Americans as a whole are at greatest risk for early-onset dementia (before age 65) in comparison to other racial and ethnic groups, and are second only to African Americans for late onset (after age 65) Alzheimer's disease. 

"This is the second time we have gone up to the Oneida Nation. We had a lot of success when we held the same event two years ago and we are hoping for continued interest," said Carey Gleason, PhD, associate professor (CHS), Geriatrics and Gerontology. 

The collaboration between the Oneida Nation and UW-Madison Alzheimer's disease specialists was recently recognized with a 2018 Community-University Partnership Award, which honors the work of UW-Madison faculty, staff, students, and their community partners across the state of Wisconsin in addressing pressing public issues. 

Through this partnership, members of ONCOA have worked with ARDC and WAI to increase awareness of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, support caregivers, promote participation in research, and expand access to dementia diagnostic services.

Members of the partnership were honored formally by Chancellor Rebecca Blank and UW-Madison director of community relations Leslie Orrantia in a ceremony held on June 27, 2018.

Resources:

• "UW-Madison Alzheimer's Experts to Host Dementia Screening for Oneida Indian Nation; Native Americans at Higher Risk," UW School of Medicine and Public Health, April 5, 2018
• "UW announces community partnership awards," UW-Madison, June 22, 2018

Photo caption (top): Wesley Martin, Jr. (left) of the Oneida Nation Wisconsin  and Dr. Carey Gleason (right) of the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Partnership receive a 2018 Community-University Partnership Award during an event at Olin House, the Chancellor's residence at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on June 27, 2018. Photo credit: Bryce Richter/UW-Madison