Keywords: Dementia, Rural Community, Holistic, Safe-Guarding, Goals, Best Practice

Background:

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) traditionally focus on curing or providing palliative care, which may not meet the needs of dementia patients. Adopting a goal-directed paradigm allows for person-centred care that addresses the physical, emotional, social, and psychological needs of individuals with dementia. This approach prioritises personalised care, enhancing quality of life while managing symptoms through a combination of medical treatment, therapeutic interventions, and emotional support. However, access to this level of care can be challenging in aging rural communities.

Research questions:

We aim to explore this new paradigm of management, setting goals for dementia care, as the principles highlight effective strategies and interventions that employ a multidisciplinary approach, involving caregivers, healthcare professionals, and support networks, while delivering best-practice healthcare, especially for our older patients in rural communities.

Method:

The objective is to mitigate processes that may adversely affect physical, psychological, or social well-being by addressing various health risks, associated symptoms, complications, and providing education and support. We provide guidance to patients and their families throughout their dementia journey, encompassing initial assessments to determine our outcome goals, the formulation of care and treatment plans, and ongoing monitoring.

Results:

Conducting regular reviews beyond QoF requirements with home visits where required enables us to gain insight into the patient's environment and specific needs, thereby allowing us to offer appropriate support and help mitigate risks. It is essential to recognise the distinctions between this and restorative and palliative care paradigms, as their concurrent application may be beneficial in certain circumstances. Where appropriate, suitable outcome measures can be applied. This is illustrated with a case study.

Conclusions:

This approach is crucial for rural primary care, emphasising patient evaluations and goal-setting. It emphasises dignity for those with dementia, community involvement, and collaboration with local services, while home visits enhance safety and comfort.