Real-life experiences and personal values have inspired Peace Johnson’s research into dementia.
Johnson, a first-year PhD student at the UNMC College of Nursing, is currently researching the role of spirituality in dementia patients – a topic close to her heart as an African American, a Christian and someone who has firsthand experience with dementia and the challenges that come along with it.
“My identity profoundly shapes my commitment to studying my community,” she said. “When I hear about dementia, I often envision it as an issue affecting other races and ethnicities, unaware that we, as African Americans, are actually twice as likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia.
“These realizations not only drive my research but also deepen its significance.”
Johnson said she specifically chose to focus on spirituality because it is a tenant of treatment through nursing, but one that sometimes gets pushed aside with dementia patients.
“Nursing is about treating physical ailments, nurturing the whole person, and caring for their emotional, social and spiritual needs,” she said. “Spiritual care is often not included in initial care plans; it tends to be viewed as optional or provided only when deemed necessary.
“I seek to reintegrate and emphasize the profound significance of spirituality in nursing practice for those living with dementia, especially in African Americans.”
She said one of the ways she hopes to accomplish this is by adapting Burkhart and Hogan’s theory of spiritual care into nursing practice. This involves a two-tiered approach to spiritual care for individuals with dementia at nursing and organizational levels.
While her research is “in the early stages,” Johnson said she’s had the opportunity to meet researchers with a similar focus, as well as African Americans living with dementia.
Her ambitions have led to a recognition, including receiving a Kinman-Oldfield Family Foundation Nancy and Ronald Reagan Alzheimer’s Scholarship for 2025. She said that while she appreciates the award, it serves more as motivation to continue her groundbreaking work.
“This recognition is not a personal achievement, but a call to action for all of us as scholars in this field,” she said. “It is a unique opportunity to honor president Reagan’s legacy through my commitment to research, innovation and compassionate care.”