UMN Memory Keepers MDT

Advancing brain health equity with Indigenous peoples: A critical imperative Indigenous communities hold rich knowledges, cultural practices, and kinship networks that sustain cognitive resilience and nurture brain health across the life course. Yet these enduring strengths ...

See new publication out today from Dr. Cliff Whetung & Dr. Kristen Jacklin!

TITLE: Advancing brain health equity with Indigenous peoples: A critical imperative

alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Congratulations to both of you!

What a year 2025 was 🎉 Can't wait to see what's in store for 2026!

Happy New Year! 🎉 Check out the latest CERDAR newsletter to see what we’ve been up to. If you’d like the newsletter delivered straight to your inbox—or want to get more involved—sign up for the CERDAR Community at www.ruralmemory.com

Happy National Rural Health Day! Today we'd like to reflect on the friendships made and partnerships reinforced by our latest Brain Train and Round Table events in Thief River Falls! #RuralHealth #RuralHealthMatters #alzheimersresearch #alzheimersawareness #alzheimerscare #BrainHealth

Our Elder in Residence Rick Smith and Dakota Community Researcher Paul Dressen are "Having a blast meeting new friends and finding a lot of old friends!" at the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Wellness & Benefits Expo- Wellnival
Thank you SMSC for having us!!

World Alzheimer’s Month

#AskAboutDementia #AskAboutAlzheimers. We do this throughout our research projects by working WITH our community partners.

Learn more about The Center for Community Engaged Rural Dementia and Alzheimer’s Research (CERDAR) Project

www.memorykeepersmdt.com/cerdar

🌎 Today is #WorldAlzheimersDay! 💜explore our projects to see how we further research and support those living with #Alzheimers #AskAboutAlzheimers #AskAboutDementia www.memorykeepersmdt.com/research

Our team at the Alzheimer's Association® Walk to End Alzheimer’s in Duluth, MN. #EndAlz

Our team at the Lower Sioux Walk to End Alzheimer's on September 13. They are wearing shirts showcasing local artist Misty King's beautiful design on them #EndAlz

Our teambuilding retreat yesterday ended with volunteering at Second Harvest Northland. We had an absolute blast packaging boxes for people in need of food. Thank you for the opportunity Second Harvest! #Volunteer #TeamWork #TeamBuilding #Community

Yesterday was an amazing day which started off with with research updates & team building. We look forward to this every year as a way to find more efficient ways to collaborate with each other and boost morale. We have an amazing team who truly cares about the work we do! #TeamRetreat #TeamBuilding

World Alzheimer’s Month: We want to encourage people to #AskAboutDementia #AskAboutAlzheimers

Explore our AMICA project which aims to develop a culturally appropriate dementia evaluation toolkit with American Indian communities. www.amicatoolkit.com

MK-MDT's project “ICARE” addresses dementia disparities by examining how culture and community-specific context shape Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in Indigenous populations.

Learn more and why we do what we do: www.memorykeepersmdt.com/icare
#AskAboutDementia
#AskAboutAlzheimers

Dr. Cliff Whetung, Assistant Professor at the MK-MDT has been awarded $100,000 by the National Dementia Workforce Study to support his project... see more below. CONGRATULATIONS!!! www.ndws.org/pilot-grants...

September is World Alzheimers Month. We will be highlighting our research throughout this month with hopes to change peoples’ perceptions and normalize asking questions #AskAboutDementia #AskAboutAlzheimers www.memorykeepersmdt.com

We end the day with "Community Conversations with Policymakers" at the #Healthy #Brain & #Aging #Policy Event. THANK YOU to all who showed up and supported this event. A lot was learned and shared. #MNBrainHealthEvent2025

Community Impact Panel at the #Healthy #Brain & #Aging #Policy Event. Thank you for all of the expertise you provide! #MNBrainHealthEvent2025

Kirsten Cruikshank, January Johnson, Karen Bedeau

"Minnesota Aging & Dementia Activities and Best Practices Panel" at today's #Healthy #Brain & #Aging #Policy Event. #MNBrainHealthEvent2025

Heather Pender, Maren Levad, Christina Garrison-Diehn, Stephen Shuman

What a great start to the #Healthy #Brain & #Aging #Policy Event! This morning's presentations shared a lot of care and support for people with #Dementia #Aging #Alzheimers. #MNBrainHealthEvent2025

Micah Maeda, Renee Kidney, Patty Takawira, Genelle Lamont, Joshua Fergen

Thank you to all for the welcoming remarks at the #Healthy #Brain & #Aging #Policy Event! Rick Smith, Kimelyn Knight, Robbin Frazier, Robert Freeman, and Peter Crawford

LIVE at the Healthy Brain & Aging Policy Event, Dr. Kristen Jacklin (@kristenjacklin.bsky.social) Director of Memory Keepers Medical Discovery Team, welcomes us. #MNBrainHealthEvent2025

We are here for the #Healthy #Brain & #Aging #Policy Event - Strengthening Minnesota’s #Rural & #Tribal Community Infrastructure event and are ready for a full day of learning and community voices! #MNBrainHealthEvent2025

Modifiable factors associated with cognitive health trajectories among Indigenous, Hispanic, Black, and White older adults: an exploratory longitudinal panel analysis of the health and retirement stud... Despite elevated dementia risk, cognitive health among Indigenous older adults remains understudied. This study explored how modifiable factors were a…

New Article from MK-MDT Assistant Professor Dr. Cliff Whetung! ​Check it out here: #Indigenous #Research #Health
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Active Aging Activities and Genetic Determinants of Cognitive Health: Findings from the Kuakini Honolulu-Asia Aging Study AbstractBackground and Objectives. The role of an active lifestyle and genetic factors in promoting cognitive health is critical. However, few have simulta

New article alert! From Assistant Professor, Dr. Cliff Whetung titled, "Active Aging Activities and Genetic Determinants of Cognitive Health: Findings from the Kuakini Honolulu-Asia Aging Study." #Hawaii #Research #Aging #Health academic.oup.com/gerontologis...

Patrick Bright, Research Specialist, attends the Esri User Conference in San Diego this week. This is the world’s largest GIS conference! #GIS #Specialist

Our latest issue of Keepers Quarterly is now out! SPRING 2025 - ISSUE 08. Our team has been busy, and we are excited to share what we have been up to. #KeepersQuarterly #Indigenous #Rural #Research #Community
www.memorykeepersmdt.com/kq-newsletters

Some of our team at the Wisdom Steps Conference at Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen, MN. @melissablind.bsky.social
#Dementia #Alzheimers #Awareness #Community #Indigenous

Our team is always staying busy! Some of our team are at the Prairie Island Health Fair today. #PrairieIsland #Alzheimers #Awareness #Community #Research
Left: Rick Smith, Elder in Residence, MK-MDT. Right: Paul Dressen, Prairie Island Indian Community Representative, MK-MDT

Senior Research Associate, Antonio Guzman and Community Based Researcher, Roger Smith, at the Fond du Lac Health Fair today. #Research #Community #Health #Poetry #Alzheimers

A new article has been published by some members of our team. Big congrats to you all!!!

“Our work addresses the pressing issue of underrepresentation of rural participants in AD/ADRD research by applying a regional CBPR approach to recruitment and research.” #Rural #Research #Dementia