NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Ochsner Health was awarded a $700,000 grant to study the effectiveness of dementia care. Ochsner Neuroscience Institute’s Brain Health and Cognitive Disorders Program will do the study designed to help dementia patients and caregivers.
According to Ochsner Health, Ochsner is part of a network of institutions that received $7 million from NIA/NIH to study the Care Ecosystem dementia care model program, which is a 12-month program meant to give individualized support. The model was developed at the University of California. The participants received a plan based on the patient and caregiver’s needs. To qualify for the trial, patients had to be diagnosed with dementia, have an identified caregiver, and have visited the ED or stayed inpatient in the hospital within the last 12 months.
Robert Sawyer, Ph.D., the site principal investigator and co-director of the Brain Health and Cognitive Disorders Program at Ochsner Health said he wanted to reduce the burden experienced by families.
“The grant from NIA and NIH will allow us to expand the care team navigator program continuing our work in hopes of garnering a better understanding of patient and caregiver needs across diverse cultural and economic backgrounds. We are so grateful because most importantly, it will allow us to support more patients and their families during a difficult time, increasing our reach from 200 patients to an additional 225,” said
Ochsner was one of eight sites that were chosen nationwide to offer the Care Ecosystem program. For more information about Ochsner’s Brain Health and Cognitive Disorders Program and the Care Ecosystem clinical trial visit their website. The program has been shown to be beneficial for the overall health and wellness of dementia patients and their caregivers according to Ochsner Health.
