Getting Dementia Care Right: What’s Not Working and How It Can Change

＂It is widely acknowledged that today’s dementia care needs improving, so what is holding it back? Dementia consultant Anne Ellett draws on her extensive experience in nursing homes and assisted living communities to explore answers to this question and guide professionals to real-life solutions. Filled with examples from care communities implementing innovative ideas and model programming, Ellett explores what holds back improvements in care-misinformed attitudes, staff limitations, organizational pressures, surplus safety concerns, and more-and then describes both large and small strategies for overcoming barriers and producing big changes in the lives of residents with dementia. Whether you’re a memory care professional, a person living with dementia, or a family member, you will find inspiration to focus on what can be done to help each person with memory loss have a good day, every day＂--

Anne Ellett is a certified nurse practitioner with extensive experience in all aspects of dementia care, and the founder of Memory Care Support. She established the company to provide access to quality resources, educational products, and services to improve the health and quality of life for the aging, as well as those charged with their care.

With an extensive background in senior housing and dementia care, Anne’s professional expertise includes the establishment of signature dementia training curricula, culture change programs, assessment of quality and high-risk indicators, and fulfillment of quality outcomes and monitoring. For example, she created the signature Best Life dementia care program for Green House Project. She has also created protocols for management of diseases of the frail elderly, conducted research in the field of dementia, monitored case management of homebound seniors, and assessed the level of care for patients residing in skilled nursing facilities.

For 10 years, she was Senior Vice President of Health Services for Silverado Senior Living, during which time she was recognized for her work in dementia by the Center for Excellence in Assisted Living (CEAL) for her program to reduce psychoactive medications. In addition, she has been nominated to the U.S. Congressional Advisory Committee on Elder Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation.

A member of the Dementia Action Alliance, Anne speaks nationwide on standards for dementia care, innovations in programming, and training protocols for leaders, direct care staff, and sales and marketing teams. She has also addressed fall and injury prevention, polypharmacy in the elderly, prevention of elder abuse and other health issues related to quality of care for the aging. She has delivered keynote and workshop presentations to numerous organizations, including the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA), the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC), and at conferences for the state chapters of ALFA in Texas, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and California.