Educational care for patients with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers in France: A mapping proposal.

Abstract

To formalize a proposal for educational approach for patients with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) and caregivers across existing diagnosis/care organizations and structures. Three steps:1/ identifying the existing organizations and structures that could be involved in educational care; 2/ identifying the main educational skills of interest for ADRD patients and caregivers; 3/ conducting a survey among these organizations and structures to achieve a mapping proposal of educational care. Nine organizations and structures, and 29 educational skills of interest were identified for the step 3 survey. Overall, 423 organizations/structures completed the step 3 survey. Twelve of 29 educational skills were covered by 50% of organizations/structures included. The most covered skills were "Maintaining autonomy in daily living activities", "coping with cognitive disorders", and "coping with behavioral disorders". A mapping of educational care that could be provided by the different structures and organizations involved in the ADRD care pathway was proposed regarding their missions and intervention place. Policy makers and funding bodies will need to invest in the healthcare professionals' training about educational approach and ADRD in order to extend educational care throughout the patient's care pathway.