Project ECHO-D Newsletter
News - Events - Opportunities
April 2020
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Thank you for being a part of the program “Enhancing the Care and Health of Older Adults Living with Dementia and their Care Partners” (ECHO-D). Here are some upcoming learning opportunities and resources that you may find helpful.
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Project ECHO-D Session # 7
Thursday, April 23, 2020 from 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM (ET)
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Didactic Presentation
: Hilary Fernald, "The importance of legal planning - Legal Services for the Elderly"
Community Case Presentation
: Marianne Jackson (New Hampshire), Gibson Center for Senior Services
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Reporting Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SAR-CoV-2) Laboratory Testing
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Due to the emergent nature of the public health concern surrounding novel coronavirus testing, the
American Medical Association (AMA)
's Current Procedural Terminology (CPT
®
) Editorial Panel approved
a new, specific CPT code
to describe laboratory testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
This code is effective immediately for use in reporting this testing service.
Download this
fact sheet
on coding guidance for the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) test in relation to the use of the new CPT code. The fact sheet details include the code, descriptor, and purpose; a clinical example; description of the procedure; and FAQs.
Visit our
COVID-19 resources webpage
for the latest information from leading credible organizations and agencies.
Please
contact us
with questions on how we can support you during this challenging time.
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A Map Through the Maze
Conference for Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Professionals
DCU Center Worchester, MA
May 20, 2020
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A Map Through the Maze, a practical based Alzheimer’s and dementia care conference, offers professionals a unique opportunity to learn current and cutting edge information on a wide range of Alzheimer’s related care topics including meaningful engagement, the latest on treatment and medications, research updates, communication tips, managing dementia related behaviors, hands on care techniques and much more. With 30 breakout sessions offered, there is something for everyone.
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COVID-19 and Alzheimer's Disease
Protecting the Vulnerable
By James M. Ellison, MD, MPH
As we endeavor to protect our population, we have to pay special attention to the safety of our older adults with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and related dementias. Dementia is not in itself a cause of infection, but it increases the risk of getting infected, for spreading infection, and for having a more serious disease outcome.
Cognitive impairment gets in the way of self-protection because a vulnerable person may not understand the risk of disease or remember to be as careful as necessary. This makes a person with dementia an easier target for coronavirus infection. Hand hygiene, which even people with good memories often forget, is a real problem for anyone with significant memory impairment. Covering coughs, too, requires vigilance and executive function. Social distancing is tough to keep in mind for an older person who was looking forward to a loving hug from a visiting relative.
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Dr. Dylan Wint: Recognizing COVID-19 Symptoms in People with Dementia and Taking Action
By Nicholas Chan
As the number of people testing positive for
COVID-19, or coronavirus
, in the United States is rising, people with dementia and their loved ones fear that they could become infected.
Being Patient spoke with
Dr. Dylan Wint
, Director of Clinical Operations at Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, about how to recognize symptoms of COVID-19 in people with dementia and Alzheimer’s and what caretakers should do if they notice symptoms.
- Look out for early symptoms of coronavirus in patients with dementia: decline in cognitive conditions, changes appetite and thirst or any signs of a fever.
- Call your primary care doctor. If you don’t have access to one, call the urgent care or emergency care doctor.
- Caregivers must be involved and well-informed when a person with dementia is diagnosed with coronavirus.
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Introducing Qualidigm's COVID-19 Resource Page
At Qualidigm, we are concerned about COVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus, and how it will impact our communities, partners, clients, and the patients they care for. Since there are many unknowns and the information is constantly changing, we have developed this webpage, which is a collection of credible and useful resources from local and national agenices, to keep you informed. We will continue to update this page as more information is made available.
Click here to access these resources.
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Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging
Information and Resources to keep our older adults healthy in New England
As we are all dealing with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic together, Tri-State Learning Collaborative on Aging is devoted to sharing the latest information and resources available to ensure the health and safety of older adults throughout Northern New England. We continue to compile information, best practices, resources and tools available to share with older adults, aging service providers, emergency medical services, municipalities, aging in place communities, and other networks serving older adults across the region. Please check back regularly as we will be updating as new information becomes available.
Click here to access these resources.
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Alzheimer's Association's COVID-19 Tips for Caregivers of People with Dementia
New information from the Alzheimer’s Association sheds light on how COVID-19 might impact people with dementia and caregivers. While dementia is not believed to increase the risk of COVID-19, other factors such as dementia-related behaviors (e.g. difficulty following CDC protocols for handwashing), age and common health conditions may affect the risk. The Alzheimer’s Association compiled a list of best practices for caregivers of people with dementia living at home and in assisted living. Tips include placing signs in bathrooms to remind people with dementia to wash their hands for 20 seconds, demonstrating thorough hand-washing and using hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol when the person cannot get to a sink or wash his/her hands easily. For these and additional tips,
please click here.
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Alzheimer's Association
Legal Plans: Assisting a Person with Dementia in Planning for the Future
Plan for the future - While it’s important for everyone to plan for the future, legal plans are especially vital for a person diagnosed with dementia. The sooner these plans are put in place, the more likely it is that the person living with dementia will be able to participate in the process.
Legal planning includes:
- Preparing for long-term care and health care needs
- Making arrangements for finances and property.
- Naming another person to make decisions on behalf of the person with dementia.
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Help for Alzheimer's Families
Live Chat: Dementia Care in the Time of Social Distancing
The Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline is hosting a three-part webinar series in partnership with the Administration for Community Living, the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a), the Eldercare Locator, AARP, SAGE and the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging. The goal of these webinars is to ensure professionals understand the impact of Alzheimer’s disease and brain health on American families, and how critical it is to connect them to information, community resources and support. The first webinar was held in late March, but the other two are upcoming:
Webinar #2: The Power of Partnership: Working together to support dementia caregivers and reach diverse communities - Tuesday, April 21st at 2:00 - 3:30 PM (ET)
Webinar #3: Update your game plan for supporting LGBT Elders with Alzheimer's - Tuesday, May 5th at 2:00 - 3:30 PM (ET)
Resources and Updates from Alzheimer's Association:
Alzheimer’s Association Offers Guidance to Long-Term and Community-Based Care Settings to Ensure High-Quality Dementia Care Continues During COVID-19 Crisis
Emergency Preparedness: Caring for persons living with dementia in a long-term or community-based care setting
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Videos on Care for People with Dementia During COVID-19 Pandemic
A new
video presentation
from Alzheimer’s Disease International addresses the continuity of care for people living with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic with Professor Huali Wang, Executive Vice President of Alzheimer’s Disease Chinese. In the presentation, Professor Wang explains how China has addressed the specific challenges facing people living with dementia and shares her perspective based on experiences in her community.
Being Patient hosted a
virtual conversation
with Dr. James Ellison, a geriatric and adult psychiatrist at Christiana Care in Delaware, on strategies that can be used to best prepare to support the needs of people living with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To view video, click here.
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See what's happening on our social sites:
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