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The article focuses on the approach in developing a branding and marketing strategy to bolster the effectiveness of the 2019-2024 U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP). Topics discussed include the names, logos and taglines proposed to established the program's identity, Brand identity, position and strategy, and the program's marketing strategy for its partners.

Objectives: The number of people living with dementia is growing and most patients go years without receiving a specific diagnosis or support services, leading to suboptimal care, negative impacts on the quality of life, and increased costs of care. To address these gaps, the State of Georgia Department of Human Services collaborated with academic and community partners to create the Georgia Memory Net (GMN). Design: GMN is a hub and spoke model partnered with Emory University's Cognitive Neurology Clinic and Emory Goizueta Alzheimer's Disease Research Center to provide training and support for best practices in diagnosis and management to Memory Assessment Clinics (MACs) throughout the state. Setting: Communities across the State of Georgia. Participants: GMN is a mix of academic and community providers, hospital systems, state and community agencies. Patients and families are evaluated at the MACs and connected to community services. Intervention: A dedicated clinic workflow: primary care providers (PCPs) identify a memory problem and refer to the MACs for diagnostic evaluation; meeting with a community services educator, and development of a care plan. The patient is reconnected with the PCP for continuity of care. Measurements: Initial metrics include numbers of unique patients, total patient visits, and referrals to state agency partners for community services. Results: GMN established five MACs across Georgia with annual state funding. Partners at Emory University provided initial training; refined patient workflows for best practices; and provide ongoing support, guidance, and continuing education for MAC teams. Local PCPs and community services partners demonstrated strong engagement with the new model. Conclusions: GMN is an innovative care model to improve access to accurate and timely diagnosis in patients with memory loss. GMN may help improve the quality of life for patients and families through preventive and early care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the United States and elsewhere, assisted living (AL) has become a primary provider of residential long‐term care for persons living with dementia. Residents typically are supported by care convoys, or networks, comprised of their family and friends, AL staff, as well as external care providers, all of whom exert influence on residents' daily lives. As with other persons living with dementia, AL residents sometimes experience confusion over time, place, and scenario. Care partner responses to these differing realities are consequential to residents' care experiences, quality of life, and ability to engage with others and in activities they find meaningful. Here, we examine, in‐depth, care partner responses to residents' confusion, the complex factors influencing their reactions, and the resulting outcomes. Method: We present analysis of qualitative data gathered from the study, "Meaningful Engagement and Quality of Life among Assisted Living Residents with Dementia," involving six diverse AL communities, each studied for a one‐year period. Researchers conducted 2,109 hours of participant observation captured in detailed fieldnotes. We also followed 59 residents with dementia and 167 of their care partners, conducting interviews to learn how best to promote meaningful engagement. Specifically, we analyzed all data relevant to residents' "differing realities" and "care partner responses." Result: Care partners varied in their responses to residents' differing realities. Some, including many AL staff, routinely attempted to redirect residents by changing the subject and/or physically redirecting (e.g., if a widowed resident was searching for her husband). Certain care partners joined residents by attempting to understand their realities and "going along with them." A small minority of care partners, mostly family members, ignored or attempted to correct or truth tell. Factors affecting care partner responses included: the nature of resident confusion and associated expressions and a care partner's role, dementia knowledge and care resources, beliefs, and experiences. Truth‐telling or correcting frequently, though not always, led to frustration, anxiety, and socially withdrawing whereas responses that acknowledged the person's reality frequently had better resident outcomes. Conclusion: Findings have implications for training, practices, and policies aimed at enhancing care interactions and quality of life among persons living with dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As the prevalence of dementia rises, modifying built and social environments of persons living with dementia (PLWD) becomes increasingly essential. Although there is a call to rigorously evaluate dementia‐friendly community initiatives, no known comprehensive evaluation tools exist to assess small communities such as churches and community centers. Therefore, we developed a person‐centered Dementia‐Friendly Community Assessment tool. Methods: This tool consists of new and validated scales to assess the level of dementia‐friendliness among churches enrolled in a dementia‐friendly congregation program based in African American communities. An initial draft of the theory‐informed survey instrument was given to stakeholder groups (church leaders, care partners, PLWD, and the Alter advisory board) with the goal of gathering feedback on domains included in the tool, as well as general wording and appropriateness. After focus group recordings were transcribed, the team made revisions and administered the survey to 10 stakeholders (church leaders, care partners, PLWD, and lay congregants) to gather feedback on the digital version of the survey, proposed changes to the tool, and thoughts on implementation aids and barriers. Results: Overall, the tool was well received by participants, with most participants indicating the tool's resulting scores would be useful for their community. Additionally, the tool's content prompted many to share personal experiences of living with dementia or caregiving for PLWD, indicating that future use of this tool may provide a starting point to address stigma. Conclusion: Next steps include piloting the survey with broad church membership, and our aim is to enable programs to quantify their dementia‐friendly community initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]