Changing the dementia care ecosystem: implementation and initial evaluation of a novel Dementia Friendly Healthcare model.

OBJECTIVES: There is a need to develop person-centered models to support healthcare system readiness to serve persons with dementia (PwD) and caregivers across settings. We present a novel, comprehensive and flexible Dementia Friendly Healthcare (DFH) model, comprising six components to support staff knowledge, environmental optimization, and sustainability and spread. Using the RE-AIM framework, we report on the implementation and initial evaluation at one U.S. Veterans Health Administration medical center. METHOD: For N = 350 clinical and non-clinical employees who completed brief DFH training, change in dementia knowledge and attitudes was assessed using the Approaches to Dementia Questionnaire (ADQ). Training acceptability was assessed with 3 items. Thematic analysis was conducted on interviews with N = 5 employees involved in initial implementation. RESULTS: Total ADQ score increased post-training (Mpre = 71.89 (SD 10.18), Mpost = 75.24 (SD 9.66), t (337) = 9.50, p < 0.001) and acceptability ratings were high. Qualitative findings revealed perceptions of effective implementation and sustainability of the DFH model, along with tangible positive changes in the workforce and environment. CONCLUSION: The Dane County DFH model represents a promising approach to improving healthcare for PwD and caregivers that can be flexibly and sustainably implemented. Future research should include measurement of PwD and family outcomes.