Lipinski
SCRANTON — Nicole Lipinski, RN, a certified dementia practitioner and director of The Wright Center for Community Health’s Geriatric Service Line, recently made a presentation at the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program’s National Learning Collaborative: 2022 Autumn Summit about The Wright Center’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care program.
The Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program, based on the award-winning program at UCLA, launched in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Wright Center’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program offers screenings at its Mid Valley Practice, 5 S. Washington Av., Jermyn.
During her presentation, Lipinski shared with participants the steps taken by The Wright Center to implement the program and how the nonprofit organization has marketed it to the community while initiating the program with current patients of The Wright Center. Lipinski also discussed challenges and successes of the program, including staffing challenges, meeting patient goals, patient outcomes and caregiver resources.
The discussion centered around how attendees are contacting underserved populations and the barriers they encounter as professionals trying to reach underserved populations in their community.
“The Wright Center’s program is designed to assist patients and their family members with the complex medical, behavioral and social needs of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia,” Lipinski explained. “Geriatricians, advanced practitioners and dementia care specialists are at the heart of the program and work with the patient’s primary care doctor or specialist to create and implement a personalized care plan.”
Since the launch of the program, Lipinski said they have learned some very valuable lessons. “Good communication with the patient and their caregivers, and constantly reviewing the
patient’s medications, are key to the program’s success,” she said. “Checking in regularly with the caregivers and offering them resources is very important because they need a support system to help prevent burnout. Dementia is a very hard disease for everyone involved.”
The Wright Center’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program partners with community-based organizations to provide person-centered care for those with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. The program follows a co-management model that works closely with the primary care and/or referring physician to ensure that care is comprehensive and coordinated for the person with dementia and their family and caregivers.
For more information about the program, please call 570-230-0019 or visit www.TheWrightCenter.org.
