Volume 15, Number 3, Winter 2020Leveraging the History of Black Excellence in Medicine to Promote Health Equity for Black Elders at Risk for Dementia AUTHOR(S):
In this clinical report, we describe our adaptation of group reminiscence therapy to suit the specific cultural characteristics of a group of low-income community-dwelling African American elders in St. Louis who were at risk for dementia. Our setting for addressing the accumulation of a lifetime of racial health disparities experienced by the participants was the historic all-black Homer G. Phillips Hospital in North St. Louis, a legendary symbol of their community’s response to racial health disparities. We connected its history to the current socio-political climate in St. Louis, to empower the participants to assume control of their brain health as they age while facilitating their involvement in their community’s racial justice endeavors. Two highlights of our interventions were a screening of the award-winning documentary film “The Color of Medicine: The Story of Homer G. Phillips Hospital”, and a visit by the non-profit organization 4TheVille to involve our group’s participants in a fundraising art project for restoration of neighborhood landmarks cherished by the local African American community. This fusion of culturally adapted group reminiscence therapy with community activism for racial justice is an example of a clinical solution to racism in geriatric care in the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders. DOI: DOWNLOAD FULL ARTICLE |