Northern Light Acadia to launch innovative Dementia Care training program

Northern Light Acadia Hospital is thrilled to announce the launch of a comprehensive dementia care training program in rural Maine. This project, funded in full by the Health Resources and Services Administration HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1.33 million, aims to improve access to dementia care specialists and provide contemporary care standards in rural areas.

Maine, being an aging and rural state, faces a high prevalence of age-associated cognitive disorders and limited access to dementia specialists, with wait times of up to 18 months and significant travel distances. Acadia Hospital’s Rural Dementia Care Training program addresses these needs by increasing non-specialists’ capabilities, enhancing dementia care competencies, and offering educational resources.

The program’s goals align with the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention
(MECDC) Maine State Plan for Alzheimer’s Disease and include:

• Training more than 700 healthcare professionals in rural regions
• Developing a statewide clinical consortium of dementia specialists
• Creating a registry for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related
disorders
• Training two subspecialists in neuropsychiatry Healthcare professionals across the Northern Light Health system and beyond will be invited to participate in training and educational opportunities, ultimately benefiting primary and community care systems. The program will also engage underrepresented communities in training and healthy brain aging lifestyle initiatives.

In addition to clinical efforts, the program will establish a multilayered webpage with
assessment tools, instructional videos, communication channels with dementia specialists, and community resource lists. Furthermore, two early-career nurse practitioners will receive dementia specialty skills training, and an accredited neuropsychiatry fellowship for physicians will be created.

Special thanks to Maine’s senior U.S. Senator Susan Collins, who has been instrumental in securing federal funding for various programs and initiatives in Maine, including this rural dementia care training program. Northern Light Acadia Hospital is committed to enhancing dementia care in rural Maine, providing essential resources to healthcare professionals, and fostering lasting improvements in the state’s dementia care landscape.

This project is funded in full by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1.33 million. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.