The Bridge Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center receives grant

The Bridge Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center has been awarded $130,800 from the Alzheimer’s Association Center for Dementia Respite Innovation (CDRI) to enhance the quality and availability of dementia-specific respite care for people living with dementia and their caregivers in Shreveport/Bossier. 

The Bridge is one of 21 recipients chosen to receive grant funding from nearly 200 applicants across the country. Funds will be used to establish the first dementia-centered respite care facility in NWLA, addressing a significant gap in our area.

In addition, no other organization currently offers in-person resources, education, and support services specifically tailored to Alzheimer’s and dementia. This innovative program will provide a secure and stimulating environment for individuals with mild to moderate dementia, fostering engagement through activities and social interactions. 

 “The Bridge is excited to be included in this elite group of community-based service providers,” said Paulette Freeman, Executive Director. “Caring for someone living with dementia can be overwhelming. This grant will help us provide much needed dementia-specific respite care and services for people living with dementia and their caregivers living in the Shreveport/Bossier area.” 

In conjunction with the grant, The Bridge will also receive online training and ongoing technical assistance from the CDRI to ensure respite services are dementia-capable and to support sustainability. The CDRI will also collect data and evaluate the impact of these innovative projects from all grant recipients to inform public policy. 

“We congratulate The Bridge Alzheimer’s & Dementia Resource Center on its grant and look forward to working with its team to help enhance respite care services for local dementia caregivers,” said Sam Fazio, Ph.D., senior director, psychosocial research & quality care, Alzheimer’s Association. “We intend to gain insights from each respite program we fund, ultimately developing a catalog of programs, tools and resources that will be easily accessible to interested caregivers and care providers.”  

The Alzheimer’s Association created the CDRI earlier this year after receiving a $25 million grant from the Administration for Community Living (ACL), a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Over the next five years, the CDRI will provide $25 million in grant funding to local respite providers and organizations to enhance the quality and availability of respite care nationwide. Visit alz.org/cdri to see the full list of this year’s grant recipients. 

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