Thomas J. Farrer - Dementia and Memory: Introduction for Professionals in Health and Human Services

Dementia and Memory: Introduction for Professionals in Health and Human Services

Alzheimers disease and related dementias (ADRD) are an epidemic that affect people from all walks of life around the world. Given that there is no cure or highly effective treatment for ADRD, it is a problem that isnt going away any time soon. ADRD is set to be a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality in the twenty-first century. Worldwide 44 million people live with ADRD, and this figure is expected to reach 135 million by 2050 (ADI, 2013).

Due to these projections and growing concern around ADRD, there has been increased attention around building a workforce with the skills to provide high-quality care to those with ADRD. Comprehensive care for people living with ADRD will require coordinated health and social care systems with a well-trained workforce. The diverse workforce includes health-care and medical providers such as physicians, nurses, psychologists, and pharmacists as well as direct care workers, home health aides, and certified nursing assistants. It also includes non-medical professionals such as health educators; social workers; gerontologists; allied health professionals like physical, speech, or occupational therapists; case managers; long-term care administrators; elder law attorneys, art and music therapists, and more. In fact, we believe the best treatment for those with ADRD is always a multidisciplinary approach to care. Each profession, each individual, plays a critical role in the care continuum including: pre-diagnosis, diagnosis, post-diagnostic support, coordination and care management, community services, continuing care, and end-of-life palliative care. The continuity of care between different care providers, multiple sectors and system levels and active collaboration between professional and family caregivers is crucial. Those at the forefront of care for those with ADRD need to be adequately informed and trained to respond to the complex needs of people with ADRD as well as to communicate and work effectively with professionals outside of their own profession.

In the next 30 years, building a capable workforce across the care continuum will become of the utmost importance. People with ADRD and their family members and caregivers need accurate information from knowledgeable professionals about: the benefits of early diagnosis and intervention; the physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral symptoms of ADRD; the course of the disease; ADRD as a fatal illness; home environment design; safety; effective approaches to care; advance care planning; coping with the demands of caregiving; community resources; and so much more. Using this information, the person and family can make the best decisions about care from the first symptoms of ADRD until the end of life. Workforce training is essential to build capacity and minimize the burden on informal care structures.

This book is an initial step in the direction of providing adequate information on ADRD to the workforce. We hope to address some of the concerns outlined above, in particular, to non-medical professionals in the social sciences and human services.

The concept for this book began when searching for an appropriate textbook on ADRD for a class being taught in the Gerontology graduate program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. When looking for textbooks on ADRD, it was difficult to find a scholarly, practice-based text that didnt have a primary focus on medical professionals with an emphasis on clinical practice. Some of the available textbooks were excellent, just not appropriate for Gerontology students who primarily get jobs in the social services. Matter of fact, the textbooks were generally not appropriate for most students from disciplines and fields who have career paths that include interactions with older adults with dementia.

Excellent dementia care requires an interdisciplinary team of professionals. Many of these team members do not have medical or health-care backgrounds. Rather, these team members focus on the human and social aspects of aging and dementia. Although it is important that they understand certain aspects of ADRD, they often do not need to know this information to the extent that was being emphasized in these textbooks.

This awareness laid the foundation for the current booka textbook on dementia for students in helping professions with social and human science backgrounds preparing to work with aging populations especially those with ADRD.

Thank you for choosing this textbook. Dementia and Memory: Introduction for Professionals in Health and Human Services is designed with you in mind. Our goal is to make this textbook as reader-friendly as possible, and to demonstrate that we are thoroughly committed to dementia education for all professionals providing care and support to individuals with ADRD.

If youre like most people, you could use some help separating the facts about ADRD from the myths. The following chapters will provide a wealth of knowledge, as well as encouragement and support for handling the many complexities of ADRD. Whether youre new to the field or a seasoned professional, this book will provide the most up-to-date information on common types of dementia, legal and ethical considerations, basic neuroanatomy, interventions, behavior management, caregiver information, and more. Hopefully, there is something helpful for everyone who takes the time to read it.

The main benefit of reading this book is to increase knowledge and understanding of ADRD. We hope this will give the reader confidence when assisting people with ADRD and their families. Special attention was given to the specific professional development needs of the dementia workforce and to ensure that the information shared would reduce the knowledge and skills gap surrounding ADRD. Ultimately, we want this book to lead to a knowledgeable workforce that is going to provide the highest quality of care and support to people with dementia and their families.

The editors of this book come from distinctly different backgrounds. Dr. Farrer is a clinical neuropsychologist, who specialises in dementia assessment. He obtained doctoral training in clinical psychology, with subsequent training in neuropsychology, which is a clinical field closely related to behavioral neuroscience and neurology. He has ongoing research interests in dementia and brain imaging, and he is currently an Assistant Professor at the Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina. Dr. Eiferts education and training is in community and public health, and applied social science. She began her career as an Alzheimers disease educator for a non-profit organization in southwest Florida. During this time, she developed a research interest in dementia caregiving which led her to get her doctorate in Public Health Education as well as a graduate certificate in Gerontology. Dr. Eifert is currently the Graduate Program Coordinator of and an Assistant Professor in the Gerontology Program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Dr. Farrer and Dr. Eifert complement each other well. Dr. Farrers clinical background and direct experience with ADRD pairs well with Dr. Eiferts social science background and experience as a workforce and caregiver educator. They have combined their unique perspectives and experiences with a clear understanding of the multidisciplinary nature of ADRD support and care by curating a well-rounded resource for a variety of professionals working with those impacted by ADRD.