Comprehensive Care System Innovation for Older Persons with Dementia: BanFang District Model

Abstract

Care system for older persons with dementia, especially diagnosis, treatment and care services are still limited to the tertiary care level. Despite there was dementia screening service at the primary care level, there was discontinuation of diagnosis, treatment and care services after screening. This article presents dementia care system innovation for older persons with dementia: BanFang district model which was developed from action research on “Development of dementia care service system: A case study of BanFang Distict, Khon Kaen province.” This system innovation comprised of 3 sub-systems: 1) screening and identifying cases: helping each other and sharing resources; 2) diagnosis, treatment and care: jury panel system; and 3) continuing care in community: three parties’ collaboration. This system has care continuation among at all 3 levels of care: primary, secondary, and tertiary care levels. “Jury panel method” at community hospital was an important point of care continuation of this system. This resulted in increasing access to diagnosis, treatment and care of older persons and their families within the dementia comprehensive care system. It is suggested that this system should be further developed and expanded.