UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care (ADC) Program
Alzheimer’s disease affects an estimated 5.8 million people in the United States, and these people have twice as many hospital stays compared to others their age. In 2017, 16 million family members and friends provided 18 billion hours of unpaid care for people with dementia. Many of these caregivers receive little preparation, training, or support. Often, they are not aware of resources that are available to them.
UCLA’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program uses expertly trained nurse practitioners (NPs) as Dementia Care Specialists. These NPs work with the primary care team, provide clinical services, and share in-depth guidance about community-based social, environmental, and financial services that can ease the burden for both patients and their caregivers. In 2018, we began to develop resources, partnerships, and a strategy for spreading and scaling the program. Starting in 2019, we plan to implement the program in up to 10 sites.
According to a study in Alzheimer’s and Dementia:
- Participating patients had fewer depressive and behavioral symptoms than peers.
- Caregivers reported fewer depressive symptoms, less distress related to the patients’ behavior, lower strain, and an increased sense of self-efficacy.
A JAMA Internal Medicine study published in December 2018 also shows the program is cost effective. Read more about what we’ve learned through the UCLA ADC program.
Helping States Support Families Caring for an Aging America
Most states are not fully prepared to meet the needs of older adults, despite being the primary funders of long-term services and supports. Family caregivers can, and should, be part of the solution. Nearly 18 million family members and friends provide care to older people, often preventing nursing home placement and re-hospitalizations.
Given the need for a clear roadmap to better state caregiving policies, in 2018 we launched Helping States Support Families Caring for an Aging America, an initiative led by the Center for Health Care Strategies.
Together with our funding partners, the Milbank Memorial Fund, the May & Stanley Smith Charitable Trust, and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, we are working with governors, state agency leaders, and policymakers to develop and implement strategies that better support caregivers.
Six states—Alabama, Idaho, Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Virginia—joined the initiative and committed to learning from each other and experts in family caregiver support. We are already gaining valuable insights. The Center for Health Care Strategies identified four areas of need that can be addressed, even amid state budget constraints and competing priorities.
