Skip to Content

    Dementia Care Practice Recommendations

    Dementia Care Practice Recommendations

    Committed to improving the quality of life for people living with dementia

    Recommendations

    Inform and influence dementia care standards, training, practice and policy in your care setting.

    Since its inception, the Alzheimer's Association has been a leader in outlining principles and practices of quality care for individuals living with dementia. Early on, our Guidelines for Dignity described goals for quality care, followed by Key Elements of Dementia Care and the Dementia Care Practice Recommendations, as more evidence became available. In this new iteration, the Alzheimer's Association Dementia Care Practice Recommendations outline recommendations for quality care practices based on a comprehensive review of current evidence, best practice and expert opinion.

    The Dementia Care Practice Recommendations were developed to better define quality care across all care settings and throughout the disease course. They are intended for professional care providers who work with individuals living with dementia and their families in long-term and community-based care settings. The Practice Recommendations are published as a supplement to The Gerontologist.

    Person-centered focus is the core of quality care

    • Person-centered focus
    • Assessment and care planning
    • Medical management
    • Information, education and support
    • Dementia-related behaviors
    • Activities of daily living
    • Workforce
    • Supportive and therapeutic environment
    • Transition and coordination of services
    • Detection and diagnosis

    Quality care: What it means to people living with dementia

    A Guide to Quality Care from the Perspectives of People Living with Dementia offers insights into how people living with dementia view quality care and what they want from care providers and caregivers.

    Alzheimer's Association Dementia Care Practice Recommendations

    Below are the 10 articles that cover the Alzheimer’s Association Dementia Care Practice Recommendations (PDF). These articles are published in the Supplemental Issue of The Gerontologist. Each article provides more detail about the specific recommendations, as well as the evidence and expert opinion supporting them. 
     

    Deliver Quality Dementia Care in Your Care Setting

    Grounded in the fundamentals of person-centered care, our evidence-based dementia care practice recommendations are applicable to various care settings across the disease continuum.

    For reference: Past Recommendations

    2005-2009 Dementia Care Practice Recommendations

    Be a part of our Dementia Care Provider Roundtable.

    Join Today

    Professionals - Curriculum Review

    Learn More

    Get trained and certified through essentiALZ.

    Learn More