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Birmingham-area residents are invited to participate in a community-based study that will develop a training program for clinicians who care for older African American adults with serious illness.
In this study, a nine-member Community Advisory Board — pastors, community leaders and those with personal experience caring for loved ones in a hospital setting — will develop the training program that will teach clinicians how to provide care for older African Americans in a way that understands and respects the unique cultural and religious values of African Americans, and respects their lived experiences.
“Training programs are usually developed by health care providers to train the community; but in this study, the community is going to train the health care providers,” said Ronit Elk, Ph.D., professor in the UAB Department of Medicine and principal investigator of this National Institutes of Health-funded study.
The research team, Elk and study manager Vantrice Heard, Ph.D., partner equally with the nine-member Community Advisory Board.
“This study is different from other studies,” said Lisa McNair, Community Advisory Board member. “In this study, we are an equal partner in the whole research process. We guide everything about the study, and the training program will be developed by the CAB, based on the feedback we get from the community. That’s why we want to hear from anyone who has been a caregiver to an elderly loved one who passed in a hospital, and who is willing to share their experiences. We really need the community’s help.”
Anyone enrolled in the study will participate in a focus group held at Southside CME Church. Each focus group will meet three or four times. At each session, participants will receive a light meal and will be compensated and receive travel reimbursement.
To learn more or to enroll, call Vantrice Heard at 205-934-7905.
