Prevention, Screening, Diagnosis and Support for Persons with Developmental Disabilities who develop Dementia

Adults with developmental disabilities are increasingly presenting themselves at long-term care facilities with concerns related to dementia and growing older.  Prevention, Screening, Diagnosis and Support for Persons with Developmental Disabilities who develop Dementia is a four-part e-learning series launched in the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council website.  The series was developed by the same people who developed the BC BPSD algorithm, and is intended to support health care professionals wanting to know more on the care of persons with developmental disabilities who develop dementia. 

There are four modules in the series:

1.       Promoting brain health: This first module examines the relationship between chronic disease, brain health and dementia risks

2.       Early screening and detection of dementia: The second module identifies the four domains of early cognitive change (thinking, behaviour, function and mood) and provides practical screening tools for front-line providers to enable early detection and referral for diagnosis

3.       The pathway to diagnosis: The third module focuses on understanding the diagnostic pathway and how to best provide support and information for the individual, family and their support network

4.       Addressing dementia related needs: The final module highlights the changing care needs of individuals with developmental disabilities from the earliest stages to late and palliative stages of dementia

Users can move through each module at their own pace, and once it’s completed a certification of completion will be issued. For more information and to access the modules, please visit http://bit.ly/YWmoOw.