Multi-State Implementation of the Alzheimer's Association Dementia Care Coordination (DCC) Program

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• A novel telephone-based dementia care coordination (DCC) program was implemented across multiple health systems.
• The program aimed to bridge clinical care and community support for dementia caregivers.
• Healthcare providers were trained to identify and refer caregivers to specialized support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the implementation and caregiver outcomes of the DCC program.
• To assess caregiver self-efficacy, action plan uptake, and resource utilization.
• To understand health system employee satisfaction and workflow integration.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods process evaluation using caregiver surveys and health system employee interviews.
• Validated scales (PROMIS, GSE) measured self-efficacy at baseline and follow-up.
• Implementation guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and RE-AIM framework.

Main Results:

• Caregiver self-efficacy scores showed mixed results, with no consistent improvement.
• High caregiver engagement was observed: 70% completed action steps, 80% used resources.
• Health system employees reported high satisfaction, but clinician engagement was a barrier.

Conclusions:

• The telephone-based DCC program is feasible across diverse health systems with strong caregiver engagement.
• Consistent improvements in caregiver self-efficacy were not observed.
• Controlled trials are recommended to identify optimal interventions for specific caregiver needs.