A Unique Support Model for Dementia Patients and Their Families in a Tertiary Hospital Setting: Description and Preliminary Data

Abstract

Dementia is a disease of great concern, as the deficit in memory and other cognitive functions that characterize this condition leads to a loss of independent function, which in turn has serious impact on individuals, families, and health care systems. Hospitals and clinics in general do not have “support” programs to assist dementia patients and their families. The day-to-day coping with the disease, care planning, and safety of dementia patients is often left to the families or other support networks, with minimal professional assistance. This article profiles the rationale, emergence, and process of a unique dementia support program based on a continuum of care model, started at Stanford University Medical Center under the Aging Adult Services Program. Each patient and family/caregiver is offered (a) comprehensive information, (b) identification of problem areas, (c) discussion about symptom management and interventions via home visits or family meetings, and (d) linkages to resources, legal/financial planning, and community/specialist services. The number of interactions with patient and family can vary and is customized to the patient/family needs. The dementia support program is recognized as a resource and is a part of a set of recommendations routinely sent to families by Stanford's Neurology Department (http://scmd.stanford.edu/) once the diagnosis of dementia has been made. To date, 237 families have been helped since the program's inception in September 2008, and 85 families agreed to participate in a survey to elicit preliminary data about the usefulness of the dementia support program.

Keywords:

• caregiving
• dementia
• support program