The Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core (OREC) is responsible for providing important liaison and outreach between the Cleveland Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (CADRC) and people with dementia, their care partners, and both the professional and local lay community. The overarching goals of the OREC are to maximize recruitment and retention of participants, with a special focus on reaching out to the sub-populations that will contribute to a broader understanding of clinical and pathologic heterogeneity of AD/ADRD.
While maintaining a strong effort on recruitment in ALL eligible groups, the OREC focuses intensively on racial/ethnic and genetically distinct sub-populations. The OREC’s Minority Advisory Board (MAB) includes strong representation of both African American and Hispanic stakeholders. Consistent with a focus on under-represented minorities, the OREC outreach targets not just individuals at risk for AD/ADRD, but also caregivers and communities.
To best meet the needs of the Center, the OREC focuses on developing and maintaining a robust pool of volunteers within Northeast Ohio, with and without cognitive impairment, who are willing to participate in the CADRC Clinical Core (CC) and other activities (e.g., clinical trials).
The OREC team also helps develop and coordinate activities that are intended to be of broad benefit to our regional community including outreach events that provide information for individuals and families seeking assessment and clinical care for concerns regarding brain health, partnering with community social services and advocacy groups to raise awareness of AD/ADRD and initiatives that address stigma related to AD/ADRD that can stand in the way of early and appropriate support for individuals and families in need.
The Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core can be reached at OREC@ClevelandADRC.org.
Personnel:
Dr. Martha Sajatovic, Outreach, Recruitment, and Engagement Core Leader
Dr. Carolyn Harmon Still, OREC Co-Investigator
Dr. Jaclene A. Zauszniewski, OREC Co-Investigator
Kristin Cassidy, OREC Project Manager
Kellee Bacote, Outreach Coordinator
Jacki Whitlow, RN
Edna Fuentes-Casiano, Outreach Coordinator
Clare Knebusch, Media Outreach Coordinator