The Dementia Care and Education Campus (DCEC), an innovation of Hospice of the Valley, has received a contract award from the Maricopa County Department of Public Health to address the rising incidence of Alzheimer’s and other dementias in our community. This challenging, progressive disease currently impacts more than 6 million Americans a year and takes a huge toll on family caregivers.
With this contract, the Campus will bring together and educate more than 3,000 primary care and other health providers in Maricopa County about dementia diagnosis and management. The goal is to equip our medical community with vital tools to support caregivers and enhance quality of life for persons living with all stages of the disease—early to advanced.
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Supporting patients and their families well before they need hospice care has been a focus of Hospice of the Valley’s experienced dementia team. Last year, the nonprofit agency’s Supportive Care for Dementia program cared for over 1,500 individuals living with earlier stages of dementia. This comprehensive model provides compassionate in-home support and vital resources to families at no charge.
The Campus will partner with primary healthcare providers throughout the county to ensure medical professionals in our community work together to share best practices in dementia care and receive professional education certifications. The contract runs through 2023.
Providers are encouraged to call (602) 767-8300 or email education@dementiacampus.org to learn more about this unique training opportunity.