N.C. A&T Center to Host Community Cookout and Health Fair on April 27

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (April 23, 2024) – The Center for Outreach, Aging, Alzheimer’s and Community Health (COAACH) at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University will host a community cookout and health fair Saturday, April 27, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 2105 Yanceyville St. The event is open to the public and registration is recommended.

Local partners will be onsite at the event to provide free health resources, dental and health screenings and blood pressure and glucose checks.

Under the leadership of its new director, Travonia Brown-Hughes, Ph.D., COAACH is relaunching its outreach activities and services, many of which were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The center is poised to continue its mission to “enhancing the quality of life for African Americans and vulnerable communities living with Alzheimer’s and related dementias, their families and caregivers through education and community support.”

To achieve this, COAACH will promote healthy aging, highlight student engagement in neuroscience research and provide support groups and activities for local caregivers.

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, a 2020 estimate from the Alzheimer’s Association revealed “about 210,000 North Carolinians were living with Alzheimer’s disease … however, some studies have shown that as few as half of the individuals meeting the criteria for dementia are diagnosed.”

Additionally, the Alzheimer’s Association found that in 2022, approximately 369,000 North Carolinians “were providing unpaid care to their loved ones with dementia, and many of them were also managing their own chronic health conditions or struggling with depression.”

COAACH’s core programs focus on caregiver support, health and wellness, education and training, community engagement and research.

The center is also a research partner organization of the NC Registry for Brain Health, along with Wake Forest School of Medicine, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University and East Carolina University. The registry helps facilitate connections between researchers and community members, encouraging involvement with studies that will “expand knowledge of how to improve brain health” for diverse populations.

To learn more about COAACH, visit the website.