Helping Family Caregivers by Linking Primary Care Physicians with Community-Based Dementia Care Services

The Alzheimer’s Service Coordination Program (ASCP) was developed based on the rationale that family caregivers of people with dementia could benefit in measurable ways from a care partnership arrangement linking primary care physicians with a community organization that specializes in dementia education and support. In metropolitan Cleveland, Ohio, USA, 29 physicians referred 62 family caregivers to a Service Coordinator (SC), who provided individualized consultation to family caregivers and capable patients with dementia regarding all non-medical aspects of dementia care and available resources in the community. Over a six-month intervention period, 44 caregivers with complete follow-up data reported statistically significant increases in self-efficacy for managing dementia symptoms, and self-efficacy for using community support services. Caregivers and participating physicians reported satisfaction with the ASCP. Despite relatively small numbers of participants, the service coordination and individualized consultation model featured in the ASCP has been adapted for two larger randomized trials in the USA.