Currently, more than five million Americans live with Alzheimer’s disease. Training for the primary care workforce about dementia, and caring for those affected, is essential.
With federal partners and public stakeholders, the Health Resources and Services Administration created a curriculum—16 core modules and four supplemental modules—for health educators to train the primary care workforce about dementia care, and to help providers address caregiver needs.
To promote interprofessional teamwork in the care of persons living with dementia, this curriculum may be used by:
- Health professions faculty
- Students
- Primary care practitioners
- Members of the interprofessional geriatrics care team
- Direct service workers
Modules 1-12 contain information about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias of particular interest to the primary care workforce. Modules 13-16 specify the roles of specific health care professions in dementia care. All 16 core modules include a PowerPoint presentation, with detailed notes, and a reference list, to assist with teaching and presentations.
The modules focus primarily on outpatient rather than residential care because the majority of persons living with dementia remain in their homes during the earlier, and some even through later stages, of dementia.
The curriculum modules can be accessed here.
Module List
Module 1: Overview of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia for an Interprofessional Team
Module 2: Diagnosing Dementia
Module 3: Recognizing the Role of Diversity in Dementia Care
Module 4: Providing and Discussing a Dementia Diagnosis
Module 5: Understanding Early-Stage Dementia for an Interprofessional Team
Module 6: Understanding the Middle Stage of Dementia for the Interprofessional Team
Module 7: Management of Common Medical Conditions Observed During Middle and Late Stages of Dementia
Module 8: Medical Treatments of Dementia
Module 9: Interprofessional Team Roles and Responsibilities
Module 10: Effective Care Transitions to and from Acute Care Hospitals
Module 11: Ethics and Capacity Issues
Module 12: Palliative and End-of-Life Care for Persons Living with Dementia
Module 13: Clinical Social Workers and Clinical Psychologists: Practicing with Persons Living with Dementia and their Care Partners
Module 14: The Role of Acute Care Staff in Emergency Departments (EDs) and Hospitals for Persons Living with Dementia
Module 15: Role of the Pharmacist in the Management of Persons living with dementia
Module 16: Dentistry and Dementia
