The Aging Brain Care (ABC) Medical Home may help patients suffering from depression while also reducing the burden on family and caregivers for dementia patients. The population health management program was studied by investigators from the Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University Center for Aging Research and Eskenazi Health.

The report, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, found a 50 percent reduction in symptoms among two-thirds of patients with moderately severe depression. They saw the same 50 percent reduction in the stress symptoms in half of the caregivers and loved ones who were tending to those patients.

"Depression and dementia, which typically impact other medical conditions, are difficult for primary care doctors to treat during their limited time with patients," said Dr. Michael LaMantia, lead investigator. "The ABC Medical Home program may be an attractive option in response to some of the challenges posed by our nation's rapidly aging population and the anticipated lack of geriatricians and primary doctors to care for them."
According to LaMantia, care coordinator assistants go to patients' homes to develop relationships with them and assess the safety of their homes, while also focusing on the needs of the caregivers who tend to them. Assistants with no more than two years of post high school education are required to participate in a two-week boot camp where they learn how to perform these front line tasks.

Under the supervision of a nurse and other team members, the assistants monitor symptom burden, and coach patients with a history of depression on implementing behavioral activation and relapse prevention activities. They also engage with the patients and report back on their findings so that any necessary changes can be implemented. In the study, patients were visited an average of 13 times over one-and-a-half years.

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