McKnights Senior Living

A roundtable of experts will work to establish consistent processes and protocols for dementia care navigation to support people living with dementia or with new diagnoses.

The Alzheimer’s Association has launched the Dementia Care Navigation Roundtable as advancements of new Alzheimer’s treatments are expected to result in more people seeking care and services.

The roundtable will bring together experts from across the healthcare industry, including system, clinicians, payers, researchers and other stakeholders to share best practices and resources. The association said it will convene the group early next year.

“The need to develop expert consensus around dementia care navigation is really critical to ensure people diagnosed and living with dementia have the care and support they need when they need it most,” Alzheimer’s Association Chief Program Officer Kristen Clifford said in a statement. “The roundtable offers an incredible opportunity to develop the future roadmap for dementia care navigation in this country, community by community.”

Several dementia care navigation programs have launched across the country and have been shown to improve care, reduce costs and enhance overall quality of life, but they are not widespread, the association said. The roundtable will develop “workable strategies and solutions” to be implemented in more communities to benefit more families.

“While it is important to establish processes and protocols for dementia care, as this roundtable aims to do, we must also remember that each resident is unique, and the process of learning about dementia care is ongoing,” Pam Truscott, director of quality improvement at the National Center for Assisted Living, told McKnight’s Senior Living. “Assisted living is an important long-term care option for seniors, and we should work together to promote quality improvement, while recognizing the disease process and honoring individual residents.”