Free half-day training that will aid staff at Hawaii agencies and organizations as well as family caregivers to assess, record and observe cognitive function over time in persons aging with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD).

In-person event with remote Zoom uplink available. Parking instructions will be sent to registrants who plan to attend in person. Lunch and handouts will be provided.

After the training, attendees will be able to:
• Describe clinical manifestations, incidence/prevalence, and risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) in persons with Intellectual Disability (ID) with emphasis on Down syndrome
• Share an overview and rationale for use of the NTG-EDSD, an administrative screen designed to detect dementia-related changes in persons aging with ID
• Describe how Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of dementia (BPSD) manifest in persons with IDD
• Develop an approach to managing BPSD that includes behavioral & environmental interventions as primary, and psychotropic medications as secondary, in partnership with healthcare professionals
• Understand how to complete the NTG-EDSD tool with persons aging with ID and their caregivers or whoever knows them best
• Know when the tool can be administered and kept in the person’s records – how and why it can be shared with the person’s physician
• Describe the challenges encountered in accurately diagnosing dementia with individuals living with IDD, and the rationale for using the NTG-EDSD tool to track cognitive changes over time to share with and help physicians with person-centered assessment and treatment options

Trainer: Ritabelle Fernandes, MD, MPH is a Professor at the Dept. of Geriatric Medicine, John A Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii. She is also Medical Director of Population Health at AlohaCare. She is a certified Regional Trainer for the National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices. Dr. Fernandes championed memory clinics across the state to provide comprehensive, person-centered dementia care. She has served on the Doctors workgroup for the State Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia.

Learn more about the work and resources of the National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices.
To find out more about the NTG-EDSD for physicians, staff, advocates, and families, and translation of the tool into other languages: https://www.the-ntg.org/ntg-edsd