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. 2022 Sep;70(9):2677-2685.
doi: 10.1111/jgs.17887. Epub 2022 May 25.

Dissemination of a successful dementia care program: Lessons from early adopters

Kristin Lees Haggerty  1 , Randi Campetti  1 , Rebecca Jackson Stoeckle  1 , Gary Epstein-Lubow  1   2 , Leslie Chang Evertson  3 , Lynn Spragens  4 , Katherine Sy Serrano  3 , Lee A Jennings  5 , David B Reuben  3
Affiliations

Dissemination of a successful dementia care program: Lessons from early adopters

Kristin Lees Haggerty et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2022 Sep.

Abstract

Background: Evidence-based models for providing effective and comprehensive care for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias exist but have yet to be successfully implemented at scale. The Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Program (ADC Program) is an effective comprehensive dementia care model that is being disseminated across the United States. This qualitative study examines barriers and facilitators to implementing the model among early adopting sites.

Methods: This study included semi-structured interviews with a total of 21 clinical site leaders and Dementia Care Specialists from a total of 11 sites across the US. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded using Dedoose qualitative analysis software. Coding scheme development and data interpretation were informed by Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations framework.

Results: Key themes are organized in line with Rogers' framework. These include: the innovation-decision process, implementation and characteristics of the innovation, and sustainability.

Conclusions: Across the three overarching themes presented in this manuscript, the importance of engagement from site leaders, the multifaceted nature of the dementia care specialist role, and the value of technical assistance from qualified experts are apparent. However, for this work to continue to be successful, there needs to be more appropriate payment to cover needed services and a mechanism for supporting comprehensive dementia care over time.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; advanced practice providers; caregiver burden; collaborative care; dementia.

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Conflict of interest statement

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The author declares that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research reported.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Conceptual framework: Diffusions of innovations. This study includes aspects of the four main elements of the diffusion of an innovation described in Rogers’ Framework: (1) an innovation, (2) communicated through channels, (3) over time, (4) within a social system. Themes from the data show particular relevance to the elements shown in blue: (1) Attributes of the ADC innovation and (2) Time, including what motivates sites to adopt the ADC program as described through the Innovation-Decision process
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

  • Robotic-assisted collaborative care.
    Callahan CM, Unutzer J. Callahan CM, et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2022 Sep;70(9):2484-2486. doi: 10.1111/jgs.17934. Epub 2022 Jul 4. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2022. PMID: 35781250 No abstract available.

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