About 90 miles north of Phoenix, the town of Yarnell nestles atop a winding mountain road. Phoenix, a sprawling city of more than 1.6 million people, has one physician for every 2,407 people. But in Yarnell and other rural areas in Arizona, the ratio is one for every 3,896. Like many rural residents across the U.S., people in this small town face major barriers to care – especially those with cognitive issues.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the American population aged 65 and older will increase by 17 million from 2026 to 2050. The aging populace has already led to an unprecedented rise in the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. More than 7 million Americans currently live with dementia. Research shows that by 2060, this number could increase to over 13 million.

Early detection of cognitive issues can mean more years with a relatively high quality of life. But for the roughly 20% of Americans who live in rural areas, access to cognitive care does not come easily. Rural communities face geographic isolation, financial strain and a lack of specialized providers.

In our research in Northern Arizona, we’ve seen firsthand how pervasive these barriers to care are. We are a team of psychologists, social workers, graduate student researchers and public health experts. We study culturally informed, community‑based health approaches to promote brain health and reduce dementia risk in rural communities.

Through a collaboration with the Arizona Alzheimer’s Consortium, our project, the Northern Arizona Memory Study, aims to use Arizona as a model for improving access to brain health resources for rural communities across the United States.

Read more @theconversation