Disseminating the Information the Subject of Dementia and Alzheimers Disease - Essay Example

Plan for Disseminating Information Related to Diagnosing and Managing Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) This paper presents a plan for disseminating the information found during secondary research on the subject of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease and the processes of diagnosis and rehabilitation. Not enough is being done to assist seniors who are not diagnosed soon enough when there might have been the opportunity to reduce or slow down the onset of severe repercussions from either of these diseases. The plan is developed for a new pilot program, based on previous secondary research, which shows that more intensive cognitive testing and brain scans would help in diagnosing both conditions, particularly if done early on. When seniors reach a certain age, then the cognitive testing and MRIs should be a mandatory process of the regular checkup. Being able to sufficiently track these diseases will help others in the future to avoid or reduce the debilitating symptoms these diseases cause. Plan for Disseminating Information Related to Diagnosing and Managing Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) Introduction As our population now lives longer than ever before, there are issues that have become more in evidence that concern the elderly, particularly past the age of 70 years of age, sometimes sooner. The diseases of dementia and Alzheimer disease (AD) have become a larger issue in recent decades as the medical community conducts more research into the problems these diseases are causing, both to the health of the elderly, and the families involved (NINDS 2014). As the last few decades have provided a generation of older adults, living well into their 80s, there is also the problem of how to handle this situation through medical diagnosis, legal supervision by lawyers, and how families are supposed to deal with the varied outcomes that can occur. It is important to also know how older people and their families can also help themselves in a number of ways, including living a more healthy life, with less stress from the effects of debilitation from both dementia and AD. Some of the problems involved with this issue is that there is no mandatory testing and scanning requirements or regulations in place at this time which would help catch these diseases early on, whereby rehabilitation could be given early enough to reduce the effects of onset of dementia and/or AD. The largest issue with dementia and subsequent Alzheimer diagnosis is that, in some cases, the elderly can be hard to monitor for the simple reason that elderly people do not want to be considered as mentally incapable of handling their own affairs, and have a fear of being sent to rest homes, shut away for the rest of their lives (NCB 2009). It is also hard on the families involved because they may want to take their elderly parents to the doctor but if fearful elderly parents decide to remove their children from a caretaker position as well as from a guardianship position, then families have no recourse to providing help and suddenly find themselves left out in the cold with no legal rights to get help. The medical community must be the first step in documenting this disease efficiently and proactively. It is therefore, important that there be mandatory testing regulations that when a person reaches a certain age, testing for both dementia and AD is begun, along with all other regular tests conducted during a regular check-up. A suggested age for beginning more advanced tests for dementia and AD is 60 years of age, and sooner if a patient shows signs of problems in their 40s and 50s. Patients also at risk (at any age) are those who have a history of diabetes I or II. Dissemination Plan Step One: Show the Research Question and Provide the Method of Management and Intervention in the Pilot Program: the Use of a Presentation with PowerPoint Slides at a Roundtable Gathering The first presentation of the information and solution is to stage a roundtable, which will have a gathering of the hospital leaders, such as the President or CEO of the hospital, the Vice President, Director of Nurses, directors of all scanning systems, and director of the quality improvement team. The Financial Director may also be a part of this to ascertain issues of costs implied in instituting this new pilot program and to help in suggesting appropriate funding opportunities. The group meeting will hear the reasons for research and the findings involved, including a viewing of a PowerPoint slide presentation which outlines the finer points of the dementia and AD issues and how solutions can be put into place that will assist both patients, families, and the medical community. Included in the presentation for the roundtable will be the synthesis of the research data found which is also included at the end of this paper in Appendix A. The burning question is also given in order to understand the reason for research and a mandatory plan of testing and scanning: “In elderly people (P=70+), how are cognitive skills measured in dementia and potential Alzheimers disease (I=Issue), as compared to younger adults (C), affect the lifestyle of those diagnosed (O), and how long before a diagnosed patient is no longer legally or medically functional (T)?” (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt 2011). This meeting will be conducted using a laptop with a projector that is attached to the laptop. The meeting will be recorded on video and a written transcript provided for further review of what was discussed during the meeting. The meeting is expected to last 45 minutes to an hour and there will be handouts in the form of brochures which leadership can further peruse for more backup information, including extended information found on the various research studies synthesized. Links will also be provided to review the studies first hand for more details. The recorded video with the accompanying transcription, will also be put up on the hospital’s Intranet for further review by the attendees. The PowerPoint slides will also be put up for review as well and are part of Appendix B. Step Two: Poster Presentation, Flyers Campaign and Brochures A poster is created which outlines components of the research question and the findings in a visually composited format and what solutions are available. This is the main part of recruiting more stakeholders from the medical community, such as those in participating departments of testing and scanning, home health providers and hospices agencies, and primary care specialists (doctors and nurses) in their own practices. Patients and their carers will also be advised by the medical staff of the new pilot directive and the benefits of being involved in the program as providing a more efficient lifestyle environment. The flyers and brochures, which outlines the reasons for cognitive therapy and rehabilitation, along with brain scan information, will be most effective as supporting documents to take home from their medical visits and can encourage patients to become part of the pilot program without financial risk to themselves. Step Three: Funding Opportunities The hospital cannot be expected to fully fund the new pilot program by itself and it is determined that funding can come from some of the following target organizations. A grant for further research from the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) is one such place to help with doing further extended research during the pilot program, whereby physical testing and appropriate brain scans are conducted and carefully recorded in regards to the pilot program patients. The Alzheimer’s Association International Research Grant is another good source for funding, as it is focused on improving the understanding of both dementia and AD, both through improving the quality of life, and also through scientific research in diagnosis, genetics, treatments and early detection (AA, 2014). The Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation (FCARF) is strongly focused on patients and their families and is a leading source of research funding in AD and dementia issues (FCARF, 2014). There is also a “Genius Grant” which can be applied to any current doctor or medical researcher who shows outstanding promise in AD and dementia research, which might be also applied for, if the hospital currently has a specialist hired in this area. The funding comes from a coalition of organizations, which includes the Alzheimer’s Association, the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund, and the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute (CAF, 2007). These are several of the initial groups which can be contacted to assist in funding the pilot program and which may also help to disseminate the results, once the program is fully engaged and running well. As the years move on, there will be more funding opportunities available as these diseases will affect everyone in some fashion, whether it is ourselves or other members of our families. Step Four: Scheduling and Discussion of the Pilot Program This would be a brand new program which consolidates a number of findings from the research studies and therefore, weekly discussions in roundtables should continue before the plan is instituted, so as to iron out the issues that may crop up as components are put into place. A schedule needs to be developed of the pilot program, who will be involved in the testing and rehabilitation of patients, and to also outline the scanning processes. A weekly roundtable should be in place during the first two months as the pilot program gets under way. After the first two months have been accomplished, then further research information from the pilot, are also disseminated through roundtables, focus groups and to all the stakeholders mentioned above. Conclusion Implementing a program such as this where cognitive testing is mandatory, along with the appropriate MRIs and, when required, more advanced scanning of the brain is needed, will help to gather information about helping patients attain a better lifestyle in cognitive behavioral rehabilitation. In such research scenarios, as presented by such a pilot program, the research could also lead to assisting in the prevention of dementia and AD (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt 2011). After conducting the initial research done for this paper, the process of dissemination of the information in findings, and creation of a pilot program to help manage and solve the issues of dementia and AD, must be fully developed and extended to as many people as possible. When people learn to take care of themselves, particularly in lifestyle practices which help avoid the onset of dementia and AD, then our families will all be better off and live longer, fully functional lives. Appendix A: Systematic Review and Synthesis Review of Studies Author(s) Study of Type Sample Demographics Design & Intervention Time Span Outcomes Conclusion Effects of Statins on Incident Dementia In Patients With Type 2 DM: A Population-Based Retrospective Cohort Study in Taiwan. Chen, J-M., Chang, C-W., Chang, T-H., Hsu, C-C., Horng, J-T., & Sheu, W. H-H. (2014) Qualitative/ Quantitative Type 2 diabetes (T2DM), age 50+ w/o dementia before year 2000, (n=28,321) Group 1: patients who had never used statin (n=15,770); Group 2: Patients who used statin regularly (n=2,400) Secondary research in NHIRD Taiwan population-based retrospective study tracking of T2DM cohort and regular statins use and those who did not use statins Use of Atorvastatin and Simvastatin Eight (8) year span After adjusting for age group, gender, CCI group, stroke types and anti-diabetic drugs Regular statin usage showed a decreased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia (adjusted HR: o.48, 95% CI 0.30-0.76, p Read More