REPORT OF ACTIVITY: HEALTHY AGEING ADVOCACY AND OUTREACH 2023 CHURCH GROWTH OFFICERS RETREAT

Executive Summary

The Gabi Williams Alzheimer's Foundation - GWAF is stopping at nothing to actualize its goals and objectives. We have expanded our mission to include a Healthy Ageing & Advocacy Outreach component. The RCCG-NCGO event is the 2nd of such outreaches after the inaugural edition in 2022.

It was another success story. GWAF reached over 300 members of the Church Growth Officers of the Redeemed Christian Church of God at their annual retreat held 30th May - 1 st June, 2023 at Palace Event Centre, Diligence Road, Redemption Camp, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

At the invitation of the organizer, National Office of the Church Growth Officers, GWAF was asked to conduct sensitization and awareness activities on Dementia and the general health of the executive as well as to carry out screenings for lifestyle risk factors for poor brain health in partnership with physicians and nurses that provide individuals with critical information about the status of their health.

Though Alzheimer's Disease (a type of Dementia), is not limited to elders, it afflicts the ageing in disproportionate numbers. As we join the fight to prevent, manage and ultimately, treat it, an emphasis on this demographic is justified. A healthy brain is linked to several risk factors such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, smoking and periodontal disease. The identification and treatment of these disorders are important in the fight against Alzheimer's in those who seek to keep the disease at bay. The overall health of persons living with Alzheimer's impacts on the delivery of care and on the management of the disease. The GWAF Healthy Ageing Advocacy & Outreach helps advance ourfirst constitutional objective which is to create awareness about Alzheimer's Disease (a type of Dementia), in all its facets, from every key perspective.

Partners:

• Lagos State College of Nursing and Midwifery (LASCON)
• Faces 'n' Braces Dental Clinic
• Redeemed Christian Church of God LP6
• Redeemed Christian Church of God LP6 Physicians

Activities

Screening
Health Talks and Q&A

Screening

Screenings for lifestyle-related risk factors of brain health were conducted in a systematic and orderly way by volunteer students of LASCON under the supervision of 2 LASCON officers.

189 people (overwhelmingly male) were successfully screened at the event. As an added component, about 40 people benefited from free dental screening carried out by Faces 'n' Braces Dental Clinic.

Health Talk and Q&A

The sessions which cut across common issues around the health of people at the executive level werewell handled by our experienced resource persons
The topics were:
Ageing and Dementia: Predisposing Factors by Dr. FunkeAlabi
Enhancing the Health of the Executive by Dr. Toyin Salawu
The Seniors and Oral Hygiene by Dr. Malina Uwagbai
Prostate Cancer: Myth and Facts by Dr. Emmanuel Animashaun

Each session, which lasted for about 30 minutes, took place at intervals during the program of the day. The audience was fully engaged. Each discussion segment was followed by an animated Q&A coordinated by Ms. Olatoun Gabi Williams, GWAF trustee.
The report of screenings was handed over to the organizers who were encouraged to follow up on people that had been identified as requiring interventions.

Areas of challenge

1. The time allotted for the GWAF medical outreach in the 2 day program was far too small given the scale of the screening exercise, the population in attendance and the significance of the talks.
2. Pastors who were unable to be screened expressed disappointment.
3. Our team was constrained and worked under pressure due to time poverty and the very large number of attendees.
4. There was inadequate provision on the part of the organizers for interventions post-screening.

Conclusion

The exercise could be rated as successful but it would have been better if more time had been allotted and if solid arrangements had been made for the screening exercise and a precise pre-planned intervention had been prepared for those individuals whom the screenings had identified as requiring interventions.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EVENT