National Council on Aging Article: Planning and Decision Making in Alzheimer's Care - What Families Should Know
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) has published an article, "Planning and Decision Making in Alzheimer’s Care: What Families Should Know," by JAHF's Rani E. Snyder and FAIR Health's Nicole Iny.
The authors highlight how support grounded in age-friendly care can help guide families navigating an Alzheimer's diagnosis. Using the Age-Friendly Health Systems 4Ms Framework (What Matters, Medication, Mentation and Mobility), the authors emphasize that early conversations, advance care planning, financial preparation and shared decision-making practices are essential as the disease progresses and decision-making becomes more difficult.
The article details a range of programs and resources designed to support families and caregivers, including:
- The Conversation Project
- My Health Checklist (Institute for Healthcare Improvement, supported by JAHF)
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FAIR Health for Older Adults Alzheimer’s section (JAHF-funded tools for shared decision making, treatment cost estimates and planning)
Additional resources for Alzheimer's caregivers:
Printable checklists and educational articles on topics such as Help for Caregivers and Managing Costs of Long-Term Care
Resources, including organizations and caregiver support, such as respite care, mental healthcare and coaching, from organizations that include:
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Best Programs for Caregiving (Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging & Family Caregiver Alliance)
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Family Caregiver Alliance (education, services and caregiver support)
Published during World Alzheimer’s Month and Healthy Aging Month, the piece underscores the importance of whole-person care. By combining evidence-based practices with early planning and access to trusted resources, the article underscores how an age-friendly approach can make the Alzheimer’s care journey more manageable, collaborative and person-centered for both patients and caregivers.
Read the article.
Learn more about NCOA.
Learn more about the Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative.
Learn more about JAHF's co-support of the Age-Friendly Health Systems initiative.
