Guam/Micronesia Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program

Guam/Micronesia Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program

What is GWEP?

The primary goal of Guam/Micronesia Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) is to transform the current health systems serving the region’s elderly and individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) resulting in improved quality of life.

The program aims to fill gaps in elderly care in the region through:

Workforce development
Family and caregiver training
Engaged community networks and partnerships
Enhancement of the University of Guam nursing assistant training program

Contact Us

Guam/Micronesia Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program
Tel: (671) 735-0109

Email: uog.gwep@triton.uog.edu
Facebook: UOG GWEP Facebook
Instagram: UOG GWEP Instagram

Margaret Perez Hattori-Uchima School of Health Building
UOG Station
Mangilao, GU 96923

UOG Campus Map with Margaret Perez Hattori-Uchima School of Health highlighted

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services as part of an award totaling $866,294.00 with zero percentage financed with non-governmental sources. 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 US Government. Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program Award #: 6 U1QHP33078-05-01

> View All

No items to display

Local Resources

G/M GWEP Telehealth Geriatric Support Services
provides telehealth geriatric support services to persons with dementia and family caregivers.
(671) 735-2883
gwep.tgss@triton.uog.edu

Division of Senior Citizens - Department of Public Health and Social Services (DPHSS)
The mission of the DSC is to plan, coordinate, implement, and evaluate programs and services, and to identify and leverage all possible resources towards promoting, maintaining, and protecting the total well-being of older persons (senior citizens age 60 years and older), while safeguarding their dignity, integrity, independence, values, and cultures.
Email them at biba.seniorcitizens@dphss.guam.gov

Case Management Services
is the entry point that determines eligibility for supportive programs for the elderly. This is where interested persons can go to apply for Adult Day Care, Elderly Nutrition Program (Homebound), In-Home Services, and National Family Caregiver Support Program.
(671) 735-3277

National Family Caregiver Support Program
Through this program caregivers are able to obtain information and help with applying for available services in the community. NFCSP also provides individuals counseling, the opportunity to participate in support groups and training to assist caregivers in managing the challenges that they face in caring for a loved one. Caregivers are also able to apply for supplemental services, such as
adult undergarments, gloves and wipes, on a limited basis, to compliment the care they provide.
(671) 735-3277

In-Home Services
IHS staff help frail individuals with light housekeeping chores and personal care which may be difficult to do on their own due to physical and/or mental limitations, allowing the person to continue to stay at home. This program also provides support services for caretakers who are
caring for frail elderly at home.
(671) 735-3277

Senior Center Operations
serve as community focal points on aging where older adults come together for services and activities that reflect their experience and skills, respond to their diverse needs and interests, enhance their dignity, support their independence and encourage their involvement in and with the center and the community.
(671) 477-3454

Adult Day Care North Dementia Care Guma Gineflie
This program provides supervision and care for seniors who cannot be left alone due to being frail and/or physically or mentally impaired, with services provided in a social setting. Families/caregivers are provided with respite services which help families/caregivers to continue working and allows the senior to continue living at home instead of being admitted to a nursing home or other facility.
(671) 922-1818/1885

Adult Day Care Center Central
is a non-residental facility that supports the health, nutritional, social, and daily living needs of adults in professionally staffed, group settings. The centers provide meaningful activities, and general supervision, assistance to maintain independency and provide respite to their famillies.
(671) 922-1843/1853

Elder Justice Center
Provides legal counseling and/or representation for older persons at little or no cost for legal matters such as wills, powers-of-attorney, and guardianships.
support@guamejc.org
(671) 989-9390

Bureau of Adult Protective Services - Department of Public Health and Social Services
Investigates all referrals of abuse and/or neglect and provides advocacy, outreach, education and protection of seniors (60 years and older) and adults with a disability (18 years and older) who are victims of abuse, neglect or exploitation.
(671) 487-6429 or (671) 487-6354

Department of Integrated Services for Individuals with Disabilities (DISID)
was established under Guam P.L. 24-16 in March 26, 1997 as the designated single point of entry agency that provides, promotes and ensures a full continuum of lifelong programs and services that allows for indepenedence, productity and inclusion of people with disabilities into the community.
(671) 475-4624/5735/8

Guam Legal Services Corporation – Disability Law Center
In 1999, GLSC-DLC became the designated Protection and Advocacy Office for Guam. As such, GLSC-DLC Disability Law Center (DLC) is Guam's Protection and Advocacy agency mandated to promote and protect the legal and human rights of individuals with physical and/or mental disability. To qualify for any of the Protection and Advocacy (P&A) programs in the GLSC-DLC DLC, a person must have a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act and the legal issue for which help is sought must be related to the disability.
(671) 477-9811/12

Office of the Public Guardian
The Office of the Public Guardian has the following responsibilities:

First, to serve as guardian of the person or estate of an adult in our community who by reason of age, disease, or disability is unable, unassisted to properly manage and take care of him or herself or his or her property, and for whom no alternate guardian among family and friends can be identified.

Second, to assist the Superior Court in proceedings for the appointment of a guardian of an adult, and in supervision of persons who have been appointed guardian of an adult.

Third, to assist, advise and guide persons who are seeking appointment, or who have been appointed as guardian of an adult person.

Fourth, to offer guidance and counsel encouraging maximum self-reliance and independence of needful persons to avoid the need for appointment of a guardian, where possible.

Fifth, to develop programs of public education on guardianship and alternatives to guardianship, and support and encourage the development of private guardians.
(671) 475-3173

Public Defenders Office
As public servants, the Public Defender Service Corporation exists to provide effective legal assistance to those unable to afford private counsel, thereby ensuring equal protection of their lawful rights, in accordance with prescribed ethics, laws, rules and regulations
(671) 475-3100

Guam System for Assistive Technology (GSAT) CEDDERS
The Guam System for Assistive Technology or GSAT is a federally-funded program administered by the University of Guam’s Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research, and Service (CEDDERS) and authorized under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998. Established in 1995, GSAT provides assistive technology–related services to the Guam community to help children and adults with disabilities live productive, independent, and quality lives.
(671) 735-2490/1
TDD/TTY: (671) 735-2491

Department of Labor Government of Guam American Job Center Customer Care
To foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners of Guam, to improve their working and living conditions, and to advance their opportunities for occupational training and profitable employment.
(671) 475-7000/1

Online Resources

Follow us on Social Media
UOG GWEP Facebook
UOG GWEP Instagram

Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer's Association leads the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support.
Alzheimer's Association | Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia Help

American Geriatric Society (AGS)
Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit society of geriatrics healthcare professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence, and quality of life of older people.
Home | American Geriatrics Society

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CDC works 24/7 to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same.
Alzheimer's Disease and Healthy Aging | CDC

Health In Aging
HealthinAging.org is a trusted source for up-to-date information and advice on health and aging, created by the American Geriatrics Society’s Health in Aging Foundation. Through the Health in Aging Foundation, we advance a commitment to helping older adults and caregivers maintain health, independence, and quality of life. HealthinAging.org features education materials for older adults and caregivers, as well as information on finding a geriatrics healthcare professional in your area.
Health In Aging | About Us

NIH National Institute on Aging
NIH’s mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.
National Institute on Aging

NIH National Institute on Aging Facebook
NIH National Institute on Aging Facebook

Library

Caregivers

Care Partner Fact Sheets with basic background information and helpful tips on a variety of topics for older adults and caregivers. From the University of Arizona GWEP
Care Partner Fact Sheets

UOG GWEP Youtube provides previously recorded training sessions and recreational activity video’s.
UOG GWEP Youtube Page

Daily Caring brings you 3 Easy Tai Chi Video’s for Seniors: Prevent Falls, Improve Balance and Strength.
Tai Chi for Seniors: Prevent Falls, Improve Balance and Strength

NIH National Institute on Aging provides information, tools and tips on a variety of health topics relating to older adults and their caregivers.
NIH National Institute on Aging

NIH National Institute on Aging offers a list of Activities to do with a Family Member who has Alzheimer's Disease
Activities To Do With a Family Member or Friend Who Has Alzheimer’s Disease

University of California, Los Angeles GWEP provides a series of videos with helpful advice for Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers.
UCLA GWEP Caregiver Tips and Videos

The James L. West Alzheimer’s Center and Plaid for Women, Inc. partnered to create a podcast series specifically for Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers. Experts locally and from other organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association and The Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving contributed to the series. From the University of North Texas GWEP
The James L. West Center for Dementia: Podcasts & Videos

The Baystate GWEP created an interactive module on Opioid Use in Older Adults as an educational tool to help direct care workers be aware of the risks and benefits of opioid use and recognize when there is a problem
Interactive Module on Opioid Use in Older Adults

This guide is for people who care for family members or others with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) at home. The information in this guide comes from other caregivers and from medical research, such as that funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA). NIA is part of the National Institutes of Health, the nation’s medical research agency. NIA leads the Federal effort to find the cause of and treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.
CARING_FOR_A_PERSON_WITH_AD.pdf

NIH provides a short article on older adult drivers and safety.
Older Driver Safety

NIHAN Tip Sheets for the 4Ms: Mobility, Medication, Mentation, and What Matters
The NIHAN Tip Sheet flipbooks provide educational information and resources for the health and wellbeing of older adults and their caregivers. The contents of the Tip Sheets addresses older adults’ health concerns and information of cares and healthy aging based on the 4Ms of the Age-Friendly Health System.
NIHAN Tip Sheets for 4Ms: Mobility
NIHAN Tip Sheets for 4Ms: Medication
NIHAN Tip Sheets for 4Ms: Mentation
NIHAN Tip Sheets for 4Ms: What Matters

Health Professions

Elder Care Provider Sheets on core geriatric syndromes, conditions and considerations in care including screening and assessment tools and treatment tips for Inter-Professional Health Providers. From the University of Arizona GWEP
Inter-Professional Health Provider Sheets

The Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program Coordinating Center hosted the Peer Sharing Webinar – What Matters: End of Life Care and Spirituality & Health
Peer Sharing Webinar - What Matters: End of Life Care and Sprituality & Health

The University of Illinois at Chicago developed the ENGAGE-IL Geriatric CEU Online Modules aimed at improving the health outcomes of older adults by enhancing the competencies for a variety of health professions, through evidence based geriatric training and integrating geriatrics into primary care. The Online Accredited Learning in Interprofessional Geriatrics Program provides CE Credits on various topics. From The University of Illinois at Chicago GWEP
ENGAGE-IL Online Interprofessional Geriatric Program

HomeCare Pulse is an online learning center that offers award winning training for care teams. They are a remote-first tech company driven by priciples, family and helping healthcare providers.
2 Free Infection Control Courses

Age Friendly and Dementia Training

CARES® Training Program for Health Professions

CARES® Online Dementia Care Training and Certification Program is a nationally recognized, award winning, evidence -informed set of program to improve your dementia-care skills. Each program includes engaging content, interactive activities, and real-life videos of actual staff, experts, families and people living with dementia.

CARES^® Dementia Certification is an award-winning program that recognizes and tests your knowledge and understanding in different areas of person-centered dementia care.

G/M GWEP offers the following training courses for FREE to health professions and health profession students. Please contact us for more information.

CARES® Dementia Care for Families^™
CARES® Dementia Basics^™
CARES® Dementia Advanced Care^™
CARES® Dementia-Related Behavior^™
CARES® Activities of Daily Living^™
CARES® End of Life Dementia Care^™
CARES® Elder Abuse Prevention^™
CARES® Serious Mental Illness™

Dementia Friends

Overview

Dementia Friends is a global movement that is changing the way people think, act, and talk about dementia. Developed by the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom, the Dementia Friends initiative is now underway on Guam. By helping everyone in a community understand what dementia is and how it affects people, each of us can make a difference for people touched by dementia.

A Dementia Friend is someone who, through viewing a series of online videos or attending a live session, learns about what it's like to live with dementia and then turns that understanding into action. From telling friends about the Dementia Friends program to visiting someone who is living with dementia, every action counts. Anyone of any age can be a Dementia Friend – we all have a part to play in creating dementia friendly communities!

What is Dementia?

Dementia is caused by a number of diseases that affect the brain. The most common is Alzheimer's but diseases also include vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies and Pick's disease.

Different types of dementia affect the brain at different rates and in different ways, but other things like someone's personal circumstances, the people around them and the environment in which they live, will affect their experience of dementia. Dementia progresses in a way that is unique to each individual.

It is true that more people over 65 have dementia but it is not exclusively an older person's disease; younger people get dementia too.

Five things you need to know about dementia:

Dementia is not a normal part of aging. Not everyone who grows old will develop dementia.
Dementia is caused by Diseases of the brain. The most common is Alzheimer’s.
Dementia is not just about having memory problems. It can affect thinking, communication and doing everyday tasks.
It is possible to have a good quality of life with dementia.
There’s more to the person than the dementia. People with dementia are a valuable part of the community.

What is a Dementia Friendly Community?

People are often happier if they can live independently in their own homes for longer. Dementia friendly communities are villages, towns and cities where more people understand dementia, there is less fear and avoidance, and people living with dementia are included and supported to live independently for longer.

Creating a dementia-friendly community involves:
• Raising awareness about dementia, transforming attitudes, and moving people to action
• Supporting family and friend caregivers by providing accessible information, resources, and in-person support
• Promoting meaningful participation in community life for everyone
• Including communities that experience inequities because of race, ethnicity, culture, language,sexual orientation, gender identity, mental illness, hearing/sensory differences, intellectual or physical abilities, and economic status

Additional Online Training Resources

Learning in Interprofessional Geriatrics Program provides CE Credits on various topics. From The University of Illinois at Chicago GWEP
ENGAGE-IL Online Interprofessional Geriatric Program

Telehealth Geriatric Support Services for Persons with Dementia and Family Caregivers

The University of Guam’s Margaret Perez Hattori-Uchima School of Health–Guam/Micronesia Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program provides telehealth geriatric support services to persons with dementia and family caregivers. To protect our clients and their family members during the COVID-19 pandemic, all services are being conducted remotely through phone, text, and video sessions.

Persons with Dementia

Living with Dementia

If you have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, you may be concerned about how it will affect your life. Of course, each person experiences dementia differently. Even though you may experience difficulties with memory and activities of daily living, it is important to remember that you're still the person you always were. There will be many things you will still be able to do and enjoy, such as spending time with family and friends, going out to church and to restaurants, and walking or exercising. With time, however, you will need help with several daily activities, such as housework, cooking, and personal care.

Support Services for Persons with Dementia

G/M GWEP’s support services provide individuals who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia with a private space to talk about their experiences living with dementia. Professional counseling can help individuals with early-stage dementia to learn to cope with and adapt to the many changes it brings. Counseling can also help individuals with dementia to share their worries and frustrations, make sense of their lives, and improve their overall quality of life. All services are supportive, client-centered, confidential, and free of charge.

Online Support Groups for Persons with Dementia

G/M GWEP offers online professionally led support groups for persons in the early stage of dementia and their family caregivers. The groups provide a safe place for individuals who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia to share their thoughts and feelings with others who may be going through similar experiences and to receive social support. The groups also provide a forum for persons with dementia to participate in presentations led by health care professionals and other community members with expertise in caring for persons with dementia. Two options are available:

Wednesday evening support groups are held from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm every Wednesday.
Saturday morning support groups are held from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm every Saturday.

Family Caregivers

The Challenges of Caregiving

At G/M GWEP, we understand that caring for a family member with dementia can be challenging. Caregivers take on tremendous responsibility for many hours a day to ensure the health and well-being of their loved ones. Yet, they often receive little acknowledgement or support for all that they do. Caregivers’ responsibilities at home can adversely impact their work outside the home, their relationships with family and friends, their own health and well-being, and their life satisfaction.

Support Services for Family Caregivers

G/M GWEP’s support services provide caregivers with a private space to talk about their experiences and challenges caring for a family member with dementia. As counselors, we start by listening, providing an opportunity for caregivers to share their experiences and struggles. We also help caregivers to receive the support they need to effectively manage stress and achieve balance in their lives. Most importantly, we focus on helping caregivers to rediscover their own identities and to restore and renew themselves. All services are supportive, client-centered, confidential, and free of charge.

Online Support Groups for Family Caregivers

G/M GWEP offers online professionally led support groups for partners, families, and other caregivers of persons with dementia. The groups provide a safe place to share the stresses, challenges, and rewards of caring for a loved one with other family caregivers who may be going through similar experiences. The groups also provide a forum for family caregivers to participate in presentations led by health care professionals and other community members with expertise in caring for persons with dementia. Two options are available:

Wednesday evening support groups are held from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm every Wednesday.
Saturday morning support groups are held from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm every Saturday.

Contact Information

Please contact Dr. Iain Twaddle or Nikolas Gutierrez at G/M GWEP’s Telehealth Geriatric Support Services (TGSS) by phone or email to schedule an appointment, to register for one of our support groups, or to learn more about our services.