Dementia care navigators help Coloradans get the support they need

Latino Americans are 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than white Americans, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. In Colorado, nearly a quarter of the population identifies as Hispanic or Latino, and as residents age, more families in these communities will be affected by dementia. The article says about 11,000 of the 91,000 Coloradans ages 65 and older who live with Alzheimer’s are Latino, and many face barriers to timely diagnosis, treatments, and coordinated care. It cites research showing dementia care can overlook Latino perspectives and emphasizes reducing stigma. The piece discusses the University of Colorado Medicine GUIDE Program, a new Medicare initiative providing trained dementia care navigators, and notes that in 2024, researchers convened eight Latino caregivers as advisers for dementia palliative care studies.