The Education and Information Transfer Core of the Layton Aging & Alzheimer’s Disease Center develops and carries out a range of education programs to increase awareness and understanding of Alzheimer's Disease research, aid in the recruitment of subjects for Center studies, and improve care and quality of life for persons with dementia and their family caregivers.

Activities include the training of professionals, seminars, lectures, and workshops for families and professionals; outreach to community organizations and groups to publicize research; and collaboration with other organizations that serve patients and families, e.g., state and local agencies that serve the elderly and the Alzheimer’s Association. A newsletter, Aging & Alzheimer's Update, is published twice per year.

Current projects include the Oregon Clinical Education Project on Dementia, a CME program for primary care clinicians on Alzheimer's disease and related disorders, and monthly medical student training

on Alzheimer's disease and family support issues. The Education Core director is also available to offer "Partnering with your Doctor" workshops for patients and families coping with Alzheimer's disease. The Education Core also administers the Oregon Income Tax Check-off Alzheimer's Research Fund in collaboration with The Oregon Partnership for Alzheimer's Research, a community advisory committee. This program funds pilot grants for Alzheimer's disease research.

The Director of the Education Core, Linda Boise, PhD, MPH, has carried out research on family caregiver stress and service needs and has developed and evaluated education programs for family caregivers. Dr. Boise participated in the development and evaluation of the "Powerful Tools for Caregiving" program, a 6-week class series for family caregivers (this program is currently offered locally through Legacy Caregiver

Services and nationally by Mather LifeWays in Evanston, IL). Dr. Boise has also studied how primary care physicians address symptoms of cognitive impairment and dementia and the barriers to dementia diagnosis in primary care. She is a member of the Executive Council of the Oregon Roybal Center for Aging, Technology, & Community Health (ORCATECH). Currently, with colleagues at the Layton Center and Intel, she is studying the perspectives of older adults, family members of older adults, and providers on the use of technology in monitoring physical and cognitive change in the elderly. Dr. Boise holds a Master's degree in Public Health from the University of North Carolina and a Ph.D. in Urban Studies and Social Policy from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. Anna Foucek, M.P.H., who coordinates programs in the Education Core, is an expert in program evaluation and community-based research. She holds a Masters degree in Public Health from Portland State University.