Supporting Function and Safety After Diagnosis: Dementia Care Planning for Adults with IDD
The National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices is hosting an educational series called “Advancing Dementia-Capable Primary Care: Supporting Adults with Intellectual Disabilities.” This series supports primary care clinicians participating in the CMS GUIDE Model and others serving adults with IDD, including Down syndrome. The series provides a practical, step-by-step framework spanning early identification, diagnostic evaluation, medical management, and post-diagnosis care planning.
1 Free CME contact credit will be provided upon attendance and completion of post webinar survey.
Following a dementia diagnosis, adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) need coordinated, person-centered support. Presented from a nurse practitioner and social work perspective, this one-hour webinar focuses on practical post-diagnosis care planning, highlighting strategies to support function, safety, communication, and collaboration with families, direct support professionals, and community resources.
Presenters: Marie Clouqueur, LICSW and Kathryn Service, RN, M.S., FNP-BC, CDDN
Diagnosis and Management of Dementia in Adults with IDD
The National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices is hosting an educational series called “Advancing Dementia-Capable Primary Care: Supporting Adults with Intellectual Disabilities.” This series supports primary care clinicians participating in the CMS GUIDE Model and others serving adults with IDD, including Down syndrome. The series provides a practical, step-by-step framework spanning early identification, diagnostic evaluation, medical management, and post-diagnosis care planning.
1 Free CME contact credit will be provided upon attendance and completion of post webinar survey.
This session will be on “Diagnosis and Management of Dementia in Adults with IDD.” Diagnosing dementia in adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) presents unique clinical challenges that can lead to under-recognition or delayed diagnosis. This one-hour educational activity equips primary care clinicians with a structured, IDD-informed diagnostic approach, including how to adapt standard dementia evaluations, identify reversible conditions that mimic dementia, and assess likely dementia etiology. Participants will gain practical guidance on avoiding common diagnostic pitfalls and determining when specialty referral is indicated.
Presenter: Seth Keller, MD. Neurology Associates of South Jersey
Implementing the National Task Group-Early Detection Screen for Dementia (NTG-EDSD)
Free half-day training that will aid staff at Hawaii agencies and organizations as well as family caregivers to assess, record and observe cognitive function over time in persons aging with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD).
In-person event with remote Zoom uplink available. Parking instructions will be sent to registrants who plan to attend in person. Lunch and handouts will be provided.
After the training, attendees will be able to:
• Describe clinical manifestations, incidence/prevalence, and risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) in persons with Intellectual Disability (ID) with emphasis on Down syndrome
• Share an overview and rationale for use of the NTG-EDSD, an administrative screen designed to detect dementia-related changes in persons aging with ID
• Describe how Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of dementia (BPSD) manifest in persons with IDD
• Develop an approach to managing BPSD that includes behavioral & environmental interventions as primary, and psychotropic medications as secondary, in partnership with healthcare professionals
• Understand how to complete the NTG-EDSD tool with persons aging with ID and their caregivers or whoever knows them best
• Know when the tool can be administered and kept in the person’s records – how and why it can be shared with the person’s physician
• Describe the challenges encountered in accurately diagnosing dementia with individuals living with IDD, and the rationale for using the NTG-EDSD tool to track cognitive changes over time to share with and help physicians with person-centered assessment and treatment options
Trainer: Ritabelle Fernandes, MD, MPH is a Professor at the Dept. of Geriatric Medicine, John A Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii. She is also Medical Director of Population Health at AlohaCare. She is a certified Regional Trainer for the National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices. Dr. Fernandes championed memory clinics across the state to provide comprehensive, person-centered dementia care. She has served on the Doctors workgroup for the State Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementia.
Learn more about the work and resources of the National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices.
To find out more about the NTG-EDSD for physicians, staff, advocates, and families, and translation of the tool into other languages: https://www.the-ntg.org/ntg-edsd
Vision Loss and Dementia
One increasing but sometimes overlooked risk factor for dementia and cognitive decline is vision impairment. Untreated vision loss can accelerate brain aging, lower cognitive reserve, and contribute to social isolation, all of which raise the risk of dementia. This course explores the relationship between cognitive function and visual health, emphasizes the value of routine eye care, and offers methods for early detection, support, and intervention, especially for those 45 and older.
Learning Objectives
- List 6 or more modifiable risk factors for dementia
- Describe the relationship between vision impairment and increased dementia risk
- Evaluate interventions and support strategies for individuals with co-occurring vision loss and cognitive impairment
- Identify special considerations for high-risk populations
About the Speaker: Dr. Joshua Ehrlich is the Paul R. Lichter Research Professor of Ophthalmology and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences and in the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. He is also an Associate Director of University of Michigan’s Center for Global Health Equity. Dr. Ehrlich’s research focuses on the impact of vision loss on systemic health, well-being, and optimal aging. A second focus of his research is on population aging and determinants of later-life health and wellbeing. He is an invited member of the Lancet Commission on Global Eye Health and advises numerous national and international organizations on issues related to sensory health, aging, and policy. He has authored more than 150 scientific articles, and his research is funded by the National Eye Institute, the National Institute on Aging, and the Fogarty International Center at NIH, as well as Gates Ventures.
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