Creating a Comprehensive and Integrated Pathway to Enhance the Quality of Dementia Care A Qualitative Research Study

Date of Award

Summer 2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Healthcare Administration (DHA)

Committee Chair

David Meckstroth

Committee Member

Karen Lankisch

Committee Member

Jesse Florang

Abstract

As the graying population increases worldwide, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that dementia and related illnesses will almost triple by 2050. There has been an ongoing global effort with a worldwide quest to prevent the disease and find treatments. While there has been ongoing optimism to find a cure, dementia is a disease that lacks awareness and understanding, causing stigmatization and barriers to diagnosis and providing care. Although there is abundant data on dementia and its effects in the current study, various organizations have adopted siloed and ambiguous dementia care approaches. Hence, the current research studied the extensive literature as preliminary work, followed by interviews with providers who had a multitude of experiences working with individuals with dementia and their families. An exploratory research method was used to gather the lived experiences of 25 medical providers who have treated individuals with dementia, recommending the best approaches to improve the individuals' quality of life from the providers' perspective. The study incorporated open-ended interviews with the 25 participants to better understand the current challenges in care treatment for individuals with dementia and a proposed dementia care pathway that enhances the patient quality of life. A collaborative partnership between the government, private organizations, and a ready workforce in hospitals and clinic settings is needed for a successful dementia care pathway. Although dementia will likely not be cured, through partnerships as discussed in this research study and a supportive society significant progress can be realized.

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