Congratulations to the 2023 Excellence in Memory Care Award Winner...

The Virginia Memory Project!

Left to Right - Peggy Fox, event emcee, Annie Rhodes of The Virginia Memory Project, and Anita Irvin, Executive Director at Insight Memory Care Center

Insight Memory Care Center’s Excellence in Memory Care Award recognizes programs and services that are models of excellence and are positively impacting memory care in our community. Congratulations to our 2023 winner, Annie Rhodes and the Virginia Memory Project team! We sincerely thank you for your impact on memory care across all of Virginia!

The Virginia Memory Project (VMP) is a survey for all adults in Virginia about brain health, memory and caregiving. It is the first expansive web-based brain health registry in the Commonwealth, and the only registry in the country that provides a pathway to services, includes caregivers, and encompasses people with subjective memory loss.

Using funding from the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act, the VMP:

• Identifies hotspots of brain health concern and advocates for resources and policies that support services.
• Applies a health equity approach to demonstrate how brain health concerns disproportionately impact historically disadvantaged communities.
• Offers a direct pathway to services for any enrollee who needs support by maintaining a pipeline with caregiver and brain health support programs.

Since the creation of the VMP in 2021, more than 300,000 unique cases of ADRD (Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias) have been identified in the Commonwealth, including early onset and rare forms of dementia. Additionally, more than 17 community-focused trainings have been delivered to caregivers and individuals with memory concerns, focusing on communication with providers. Furthermore, they have fulfilled more than 50 requests for services for caregivers through our community partners.

While this is the 4th statewide ADRD registry in the country (there are similar models in South Carolina, Georgia, and West Virginia), VMP is the only registry that provides a pathway to services, includes caregivers, and encompasses people with subjective memory loss. VMP believes that the education and preventative services are as important as data-driven advocacy in envisioning a Virginia free from brain health disorders. For that reason, the project has established direct pathways to service and support caregivers and individuals with dementia.

VRP's work positively impacts memory care in several ways. First, by utilizing data, they are able to accurately ascertain how many folks are receiving care in traditional memory care settings and contrast that with the total number of individuals with a memory condition who may require memory care. Second, they are able to provide education about memory care to caregivers and people with memory concerns using our pathways to service and our education platforms. Lastly, through leadership in merging data and advocacy, they are able to inform key stakeholders at the Alzheimer's Association, Veterans Affairs, the Virginia Department of Health, and within health systems about the large gap in supportive memory programming.

Learn more about The Virginia Memory Project.