Dementia care navigation: Building toward a common definition, key principles, and outcomes

INTRODUCTION: As the complexity of medical treatments and patient care systems have increased, the concept of patient navigation is growing in both popularity and breadth of application. Patient navigators are trained personnel whose role is not to provide clinical care, but to partner with patients to help them identify their needs and goals and then overcome modifiable patient‐, provider‐, and systems‐level barriers. Due to its high incidence, duration, and medical–social complexity, dementia is an ideal candidate for a patient‐centric health care delivery model such as care navigation. METHODS: The Alzheimer's Association formed an expert workgroup of researchers in the field of dementia care navigation to identify evidence‐based guidelines. RESULTS: Recognizing the unique and challenging needs of persons living with dementia and their care partners, several U.S. dementia care navigation programs have been developed and assessed in recent years. Collectively these programs demonstrate that persons living with dementia and their care partners benefit from dementia care navigation. Improved care system outcomes for the person living with dementia include reduced emergency department visits, lower hospital readmissions, fewer days hospitalized, and shorter delays in long‐term care placement. Well‐being is also increased, as there is decreased depression, illness, strain, embarrassment, and behavioral symptoms and increased self‐reported quality of life. For care partners, dementia navigation resulted in decreased depression, burden, and unmet needs. DISCUSSION: This article presents principles of dementia care navigation to inform existing and emerging dementia care navigation programs. HIGHLIGHTS: Several U.S. dementia care navigation programs have demonstrated outcomes for persons living with dementia, care partners, and health systems. The Alzheimer's Association formed an expert workgroup of researchers in the field of dementia care navigation to create a shared definition and identify evidence‐based guidelines or principles. These outlined principles of dementia care navigation can inform existing and emerging dementia care navigation programs.