Brain Health and Dementia Support
Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) Program
The Maryland Department of Aging (MDOA) is responsible for the development and oversight of an effective dementia navigation strategy to address the needs of individuals with ADRD and their caregivers in Maryland. Their primary role is to:
- Provide evidence-based dementia caregiver and provider training programs
- Create evidence-based dementia content for future dementia certification efforts
- Fund Community Based Organizations (CBO’s) to provide innovative, hyper-local dementia programming within communities in alignment with the Virginia I. Jones Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Council and the Maryland State Plan on Aging - PDF.
Older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers who need brain health services and supports should visit MAP.
Brain Health Program Information
- Be person- and family-centered to ensure collaboration and enhance engagement.
- Be culturally responsive and address disparities in access to health care and support services.
- Include well-defined roles and responsibilities for all members of the dementia care navigation team.
- Address barriers relating to medical, legal, financial, emotional, and other domains facing the person living with dementia and their care partners.
- Provide coaching, education, and coordination in a manner that is empowering, solution-focused, and strengths-based.
- Focus on the family unit as defined by the person living with dementia.
- Ensure processes and protocols are evidence-based.
- Reflect the legislative mandates and overarching goals of the Department, the Virginia I. Jones Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Council, and the State Plan on Aging
Working closely with Maryland’s AAA network, MDOA:
- Provides training to the dementia care network on long-term care and dementia care navigation best practices.
- Provides cognitive screening opportunities for individuals concerned with memory and thinking.
- Collects dementia navigation data to ensure statewide program integrity.
- Develops programs to engage individuals experiencing symptoms of dementia that interfere with Activities of Daily Living (ADLs).
- Provides consulting and technical assistance to AAA staff.
- Facilitates partnership-building between AAAs and health care providers.
Families caring for people with dementia often feel overwhelmed and unprepared. Each has their own unique needs, but all need guidance on what to do, what to expect, and how to prepare for the future. Johns Hopkins University, in partnership with the Maryland Information Network and Maryland Department of Aging, has developed a tool that can help. The Johns Hopkins Memory Care Family Checklist is an innovative resource that helps families impacted by dementia identify their needs, access reliable information, and connect to supports to help them develop a larger care plan.
It guides caregivers through a series of questions and evaluates needs in key areas that impact health and wellness.
For the person living with memory loss, the Checklist evaluates:
- Cognitive, emotional, and behavioral changes
- Home and personal safety
- Health care and future planning
- Daily routines and meaningful activities
For the caregiver, the Checklist evaluates:
- Health, wellness, and long-term planning
- Education and awareness
- Informal supports and daily living needs
The Checklist integrates with the 211 Community Resource Database to connect the user with up-to-date, location-specific supports that offer direction on what to know, what to do, and where to find help based on their unique circumstances.
Reliable and Researched-Based
Based on the Johns Hopkins Dementia Care Needs Assessment (JHDCNA) tool—an evidence-based resource that evaluates multidimensional care needs for people living with dementia and their caregivers—the Checklist is endorsed by the Virginia I. Jones Alzheimer's Disease & Related Dementias Council as the preferred tool for assessing family support needs.
“The Maryland Virginia I. Jones Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Council is excited to see the Johns Hopkins Memory Care Family Checklist come to life. Individuals and families facing dementia or memory problems are too often left to find information, guidance, and resources on their own. The Checklist is a wonderful, much-needed tool that individuals, families, friends, service providers, and healthcare providers can now turn to as a resource to navigate dementia. Importantly, this innovative tool helps us toward meeting lofty goals we've laid out in the Maryland State Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias, enhancing quality of dementia care, access to care and resources, and supports for family caregivers.”
~Halima Amjad, Chair, Maryland Virginia I. Jones Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Council
Download The Johns Hopkins Family Caregiver Checklist - PDF - 367.29 KB for more information on this innovative resource.
The John Hopkins Memory Care Family Checklist was supported by the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $490,000 with 100 percent funding by ACL/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, ACL/HHS or the U.S. Government.
The AD8 Cognitive Screening Tool is quick and simple screening that has been proven effective in recognizing early signs of dementia. It is available in several languages and can be used by an individual concerned about their cognitive health, or administered by a caregiver or loved one. Early diagnosis is important. Take the test today!
Family Caregiver Support Program
Working with local partners, Maryland Department of Aging (MDOA) provides statewide oversight, policy development, and program guidance to support the implementation of caregiver services across Maryland.