INTRODUCING a new model for managing dementia

INTRODUCING a new model for managing dementia and memory loss care?that makes existing models obsolete

The death of my husband on June 19, 2020 combined with the coronavirus pandemic in the same period of time created a unique opportunity for me to grief and to begin to reevaluate my work goals at the International Caregivers Association (ICA). It was a rare chance to start contemplating a new direction for the ICA.

I decided to revisit my Caregiver Partnership Agreement Program (CPAProgram); a model of care that focuses on improving upon existing models of long-term dementia and memory loss care programs for home care, care homes, assisted living, nursing home, and hospitals. With over 55 million cases of confirmed cases (even more when considering the unconfirmed cases), it is time to create a new model of dementia and memory loss care model (https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dementia).

Statistics show that as much as 2/3 of residents in long-term care are living with dementia and memory loss (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3093103/). Years prior to the rise in dementia cases in assisted living facilities and nursing homes, care organizations were struggling to attract and keep their workforce. The work of dementia care is not only demanding, it is a specialty for which most are undertrained to provide safely. Eilon Caspi wrote on the “underrecognized and largely unaddressed phenomenon of distressing and harmful resident-to-resident interactions” in his latest book entitled UNDERSTANDING AND PRESENTING HARMFUL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN RESIDENTS WITH DEMENTIA (Pub. by Health Professions Press, 2022, p. 1). ?

With the coronavirus pandemic, this problem has actually magnified dementia care in every sense of the word. Sadly, many organizations have had to close their doors due to the contagious nature of the virus and insurmountable staffing issues. Those services and organizations that have remained opened are struggling to stay afloat in this economy.

For further information, please contact Dr. Ethelle Lord at [email protected] to set up a consultation.