604: How to Create a "Dementia Capable" Hospice Team: Raising the Bar
(Room Bayou CD)
30 Oct 15
9:15 AM
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10:15 AM
People with advanced dementia commonly undergo aggressive and burdensome interventions that offer little to no clinical benefit. Hospices can bridge the gap between the type of care Americans with dementia want at life's end and what they commonly receive. The traditional hospice model does not, however, meet the unique care needs of both dementia patients and their loved ones. In 2003, Hospice of the Valley (HOV) responded to this pressing need by creating a dementia program that educates all members of the hospice interdisciplinary teams in best practices for advanced dementia and provides them with innovative discipline-specific materials. Since its inception, the dementia program has led to positive outcomes while serving thousand of persons with dementia and their loved ones. Customers and staff are more satisfied, and there have been fewer preventable hospitalizations, along with simpler medication regimens and a higher percentage of completed health care directives. This session will provide insights into the challenges of and methods for tailoring hospice care to effectively meet the special needs of individuals with advanced dementia and their families.