New Dementia Care Guidelines For Use In Disaster Situations - Coalition Provides Insights Into Caring For Persons With Cognitive Impairment In Emergen

A coalition* of long term care and consumer organizations, released today a new guide to providing care for persons with dementia during emergencies, such as a major disease outbreak, hurricane or fire.


Care practices in the guide are for non-licensed staff of nursing facilities, assisted living residences or other residential care settings as well as lay people, such as volunteers, who may become involved more directly in care giving during an emergency.


"In stressful times, when change is occurring, it is especially important that people with Alzheimer's and dementia receive consistent, effective care," said Peter Reed, Ph.D., director of Care Services for the Alzheimer's Association. "In unfamiliar situations, there is increased risk for wandering, and agitated or inappropriate behaviors. This new guide provides basic and reliable care guidelines that can be incorporated into planning and training for providing high quality dementia care, even in difficult times."


Since an average of 50 percent of a facility's residents and patients have some form of dementia and decreased cognitive ability, these persons require special assistance during an emergency. Each facility needs to adapt procedures based on its unique features and circumstances and the population it cares for, and this guide is a roadmap that allows that flexibility.


The Web-based training document (PDF)


The Dementia Care Training Guide is a companion to previous work completed by the coalition at the behest of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop resources for health professionals, government and business leaders and individuals, especially relating to an influenza epidemic or pandemic (available at pandemicflu). The previous work of this coalition completed for the HHS/CDC project is available at Long-Term Care and Other Residential Facilities Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist


*The coalition includes: the Alzheimer's Association, American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA), American Health Quality Association (AHQA), American Medical Directors Association (AMDA), National Association of Directors of Nursing Administration (NADONA), American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL).


The American Health Care Association and the National Center For Assisted Living are the nation's leading long term care organizations. AHCA/NCAL and their membership are committed to performance excellence and Quality First, a covenant for healthy, affordable and ethical long term care. AHCA/NCAL represent nearly 11,000 non-profit and proprietary facilities dedicated to continuous improvement in the delivery of professional and compassionate care provided daily by millions of caring employees to more than 1.5 million of our nation's frail, elderly and disabled citizens who live in nursing facilities, assisted living residences, subacute centers and homes for persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities.


ahca