Not Alone: Project Barnabas exists to make sure people have a better understanding of how to deal with dementia

Innovation is important in any industry, including the senior care industry, which is why one of LeadingAge Pennsylvania’s annual awards is the Innovation of the Year Award. It is a way to recognize “an individual or program that serves as a model of innovation and excellence, and also contributes significantly to the quality of life for older adults,” and Project Barnabas is that innovator this year.

“In my five years as Executive Director of Dementia360, I have not learned as much about cultural competence as I have in the last year and a half as a result of our partnership with Flourishing Communities,” Dementia360 Presbyterian SeniorCare Network Executive Director Amy Kowinsky said. “Dementia360 has served hundreds of families, and one of our strengths as a program lies in our assessment and understanding of the unique individual ‘cultures’ of families.”

Project Barnabas has one particular goal in mind: to spread awareness of dementias such as Alzheimer’s Disease. It is a series of educational sessions with actionable items, encouraging people to spread awareness and to stay alert. Knowing what signs to look out for is important, and that is part of why Project Barnabas exists.

Within Project Barnabas is Dementia360, which is a care model that is focused on all sorts of dementia. It exists to help spread awareness and help others understand more about it.

“Dementia360 is focused on giving family caregivers the support, resources and connections they need to keep their loved ones at home, living comfortably and safely, for as long as that is their goal,” SeniorCare Network’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives Celeste Golonski said. “We know that life does not prepare anyone to be a dementia family caregiver, but over the last five years, the Dementia360 team has provided guidance and support to several hundred families in the Pittsburgh area, enabling families on this journey to keep their loved ones at home for longer, and, equally as important, to help families live better because they have the knowledge, skills, and support to be successful.”

Knowledge makes all the difference, especially when dealing with a debilitating disease. While there are no fool-proof cures to any sort of dementia, there are ways of slowing down the severity of it, as well as making it more manageable. Project Barnabas helps in educating people on this so they can have an easier time dealing with family members who have dementia.

This innovation also exists to spread awareness in certain cultures as well. Dementia affects every culture and race, but it is especially present in one in particular.

“While it is well documented that dementia is more prevalent in the African American community, this is not to say that dementia is a topic that is openly spoken about in our community,” Rev. Dr. John Welch, CEO of Flourishing Communities, Inc., said. “As a result, misinformation is widespread, cognitive problems are hidden at home or dismissed as normal aging, and families suffer intensely because they do not have access to the diagnostic testing, treatment, and education that can improve quality of life.”

Project Barnabas is trying to change that. They are trying to spread this awareness as quickly and successfully as they can, and they are certainly making an impact while doing so. They are getting through to many of the people they are trying to get through to, and according to many, they are making a difference.

“Working with John Welch and Flourishing Communities has given me a profound understanding of the African American culture with respect to the building blocks that work to either build up or break down trust with the African American community,” Kowinsky said. “We have learned that trust is not implicit; it is earned. Many African American families caring for someone living with dementia see it as very personal and are reluctant to share their struggles, let alone ask for help.”

It is very common for the people around you to have gone through the same type of situation you are going through, and the likelihood is they did it very much alone as well. That does not have to be the case, though, because as more people begin to speak up and share their experiences, Project Barnabas hopes others will follow suit.

“Families typically enroll in Dementia360 when they are feeling unprepared, alone and stressed, and so a key ingredient for the success lies in the team’s ability to quickly form relationships and build trust with these families,” Golonski said. “Dementia impacts every person living with it differently, and it also affects every family unit/support system differently as well, so understanding individual family culture (i.e. relationships, coping mechanisms, history, and how they work together) becomes extremely important in this work.”

“I am proud of Project Barnabas because it is designed to help family caregivers face the disease in a way that they can be empowered to positively influence its course at home,” Welch added. “This program offers a three-part educational series for families which is taught at local churches in our community by Dementia360 facilitators and a Geriatric Nurse Practitioner on our team. In a disease that makes so many people feel powerless and alone, the program also offers ongoing support for families through pairing them with Caregiver Companions. The team of Caregiver Companions are specially trained individuals from the African American community who provide telephone support and coaching to families dealing with dementia. Through this methodology, we aim to both better educate and better support the caregivers in our community.”

You are not alone, and Project Barnabas wants to ensure people that they know just that. There are people around them who are willing to help and willing to be there to support you every step of the way.

Through passion and compassion, Project Barnabas is making dealing with something that can be seemingly impossible something that is bearable. That is why they exist, and that is why they are the Innovation of the Year. They exist to help start the conversation and bring people together, and they are doing good work.