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ALTER program trains Black churches to provide dementia support and reduce stigma
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Summary
ALTER (Alter Dementia) partners with Black faith communities to create dementia‑friendly congregations. The two‑year program offers a starter grant, training, 16 recommended initiatives and coaching; organizers said 105 faith communities across 21 states had joined.
Phayron Epps, founder of ULTRADementia and professor and endowed chair of caregiving research at UT Health San Antonio, told a federal panel that the ALTER program works with Black faith communities to build dementia‑friendly congregations through education, support services and worship modifications.
Epps said ALTER asks faith communities to commit to a two‑year partnership, during which the congregation implements up to 16 initiatives across three pillars—support, education and worship. The program provides a starter kit and a modest financial contribution (Epps said $1,000) to help launch local ministries, and coaches congregations through implementation. Churches may become “legacy partners” after completing a core set of initiatives so they can mentor other congregations.
Epps reported program scale and growth: as of her presentation she said ALTER was working with 105 faith communities in 56 cities across 21 states and 14 denominations, and that demand had accelerated. She described activities congregations select from a menu of options: memory cafes, caregiver support groups, respite scholarships, “Purple Sunday” memory awareness observances, virtual dementia experiences, youth engagement, shortened and adapted worship services, and supply closets for caregivers.
The program embeds measurement and research. Epps described a Georgia survey of nearly 1,200 congregants used to develop a dementia‑friendliness measure; preliminary results she cited indicated congregants who rated their churches as more dementia friendly reported lower stigma toward dementia. ALTER has held an annual summit and plans to train public health agencies to help scale the program.
Epps said the program’s genesis was pragmatic: pastors asked for actionable help. She recounted a church leader asking, “So what am I supposed to do with this?” and said that request helped shape ALTER into a coaching‑centred model. The program also partners with organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association and Respite for All for training, support groups and respite services, and accepts in‑kind and financial sponsorships to expand sustainability and reach.
Epps described steps toward sustainability and expansion, including building a coordinating center, soliciting sponsorships, seeking licensing or training models for public health agencies, and adapting the framework for additional faith communities. She invited attendees to ALTER’s April summit in Atlanta and said the program is exploring broader partnerships to serve other racial and ethnic faith communities while maintaining culturally tailored approaches.
Epps emphasized practical outreach: show up to community events, build long‑term relationships, be available on congregational schedules and provide culturally responsive materials and coaching rather than only one‑off education sessions.
