For the people by the people": Engaging seniors with mild dementia to improve awareness of and access to support servces in newfoundland and Labrador

The onset of dementia for older adults marks the start of negotiating access to a wide range of support services to deal with the many changes dementia can incur. Awareness of and timely access to supports and services is necessary to enable improvements in health, quality of life and care costs.
In direct alignment with the 2018 NLSUPPORT priority research theme “awareness of and access to community supports and services” the main objectives of this project are to partner with seniors living with early dementia and their caregivers/significant others and key stakeholders in order to:
1) gain an understanding of the use of formal support services for dealing with early dementia
2) understand how the use of formal services correspond to health and quality of life
3) develop resources to increase awareness of and access to supports and services in the province
4) inform best practice guidelines and healthy public policy
Results of a focus group and individual interviews with seniors, caregivers and key stakeholders will be used to develop an educational package of resources regarding formal supports and services available in the province for individuals with early dementia as well as an Executive Report for government that inform best practice guidelines and healthy public policy.