Dementia Care Specialist Program

Dementia Care Specialist Brochure (P-00659) (PDF, 622 KB)

The Dementia Care Specialist Program is embedded within select Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs). The program has three goals. The first goal is to support the ADRC staff and county programs to be better prepared, with knowledge and resources, to support individuals with dementia and their families. The second goal is to support the Specialists to act as a catalyst to create a dementia friendly community.  Specialists may work with businesses, employers, local organizations, and the community to raise awareness of the unique needs of individuals with dementia and their families. The third goal is to assist individuals with dementia to remain active and in their homes longer.

The Dementia Care Specialists provide information and assistance about Alzheimer's disease and other dementias. The Specialists perform memory screens for individuals to determine the need for follow up with their primary physician and other healthcare professionals. The Specialists connect family caregivers with needed assistance and support. The Specialists discuss options for care, long term care options, and assist in making future care plans.

The Dementia Care Specialists also provide opportunities for individuals and family caregivers to participate in evidence-based interventions. Two of these opportunities include the Memory Care Connections and the Language Enriched Exercise Plus Socialization (LEEPS) programs. The Memory Care Connections program is an evidenced-based program that provides family caregivers with the tools to be successful in providing care for their loved ones. The program has been shown to help families care for loved ones at home an average of 18 months longer than without the support of the program. The LEEPS program is an evidenced-based program that provides opportunities for people in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease or mild dementia to engage in exercise and social opportunities. LEEPS has been shown to help individuals with dementia improve their physical fitness and mood as well as maintain functional ability.

Contact information for Dementia Care Specialists is listed below. If your county does not have a Dementia Care Specialist, your local Aging and Disability Resource Center can help. Contact information for ADRCs is available at https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/adrc/index.htm.

ADRC  Contact Information - Dementia Care Specialists

Tribal Contact Information - Dementia Care Specialists