Behavioral Symptoms of Dementia: Toolkit for Senior Living Communities

Senior living communities may be interested in a new, freely available toolkit that compiles peer-reviewed or expert-endorsed nonpharmacologic approaches to managing behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. Supported by funding from the Commonwealth Fund and the John A. Hartford Foundation, the toolkit includes a rationale for taking a person-centered approach, a discussion of systems issues to consider before implementation, educational programs for leaders and direct care staff, assessment tools, clinical decision-making algorithms that help identify triggers, evidence-based nonpharmacologic interventions, and procedures for response to emergent behaviors.