Welcome to Memory Keepers

The Memory Keepers Medical Discovery Team is focused on collaborative research to improve dementia outcomes in Indigenous and rural communities. Led by Dr. Kristen Jacklin, the team works to preserve brain health through collaborative, community-based research with both rural and Indigenous partners, and large-scale analyses of state- and national-level data. Our long-term goals are to improve the quality of life for those impacted by dementia and achieve brain health equity for all.

Work with Indigenous communities
In many American Indian cultures, respected adults and Elders of the tribe are responsible for preserving sacred medicine bundles, songs, and stories. Our work to preserve brain health will help American Indian communities to continue benefiting from the wisdom of their adults and Elders far into the future. Our research projects address cultural understandings of dementia and the impact of dementia on Indigenous communities, the development of culturally safe tools for dementia screening and assessment, the tracking of dementia cases in Tribal communities, and the development of large-scale prevention and dementia care strategies using population data. Through this work, our goal is to support the minds of our “Memory Keepers,” those who remind our communities where we came from and help guide us into the future. 

Work with rural communities
Rural communities are defined by more than just geography and have cultural distinctions influenced by history, economy, and the environment. Working within these important understandings of place, we aim to tackle the growing challenge of dementia and dementia care needs in rural communities in northern Minnesota. Our research projects adopt a strengths-based approach, leveraging assets to address challenges in rural dementia care. We focus on cultural factors influencing care, strategies for dementia prevention, methods to support caring for persons with dementia in their homes, and gaining a better understanding of rural populations' access to and participation in dementia prevention research and clinical trials.