California Standards of Dementia Care Initiative
Overview
Funded by the 2021 California Budget Act, the California Department of Public Health, Alzheimer's Disease Program (ADP) led the Standards of Dementia Care Initiative to strengthen the quality and consistency of dementia care statewide. With the guidance of the “Ten Recommendations for Alzheimer's Prevention, Preparedness, and the Path Forward," which outlines California's strategic direction for improving dementia care systems and support, the initiative contributed to the development of evidence-informed resources and approaches to support early detection and quality dementia care.
Key Partners and Developed Resources:
Through the initiative, funded partners developed the following resources to support dementia care across California.
Brain Health Toolkit
- The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) developed a comprehensive Brain Health Toolkit that empowers older adults to understand when and how to talk to their primary care clinicians about changes in their memory and thinking.
- The Brain Health Toolkit was developed by a team of experts at UCSF and the University of Southern California using a “human-centered" design approach, incorporating insights from interviews and prototype evaluation sessions with older adults and primary care clinicians in California.
Dementia Care California Website
- UCSF collaborated with the Dementia Care Aware program to expand its work on early diagnosis.
- A new website, Dementia Care California, was developed by UCSF with the help of leading dementia experts from across the state. The website provides various resources to support healthcare providers, people living with dementia, and caregivers on detection, diagnosis, and care.
The Good Life (TGL)
- The University of California, Davis expanded its culturally-adaptable prevention program, The Good Life, which centered around educational opportunities on healthy aging and risk reduction associated with dementia and other chronic conditions. The expansion included implementation of courses for additional communities across California, Spanish language adaption of materials, and dissemination of online resources and educational tools.
For additional resources, please visit our Alzheimer's Disease Resources webpage.
For questions, please contact AlzheimersD@cdph.ca.gov.