Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Group Geriatric and Palliative Medicine

Our specialized Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care program at the Cunningham Center for Compassionate Aging also supports people with dementia, helping them continue to live safely in a homelike setting.

The program includes:

• Initial 90-minute assessment to learn about your day-to-day routine, challenges you face and resources you or your care partner may need

• Customized care plan to meet the unique needs of you and your care partner

• Ongoing communication and 24/7 phone access to our care team to discuss ongoing or emerging needs

• Collaborative partnership with your primary care provider to develop, implement and evaluate your care plan

• Dementia screening and cognitive health assessment with follow-up recommendations

To join the Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care program, patients must meet the following criteria:

• Have an active diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or a related condition from a primary care physician, neurologist or other qualified health care provider.

• Reside at home or in a homelike setting and not be receiving hospice care or living in a custodial nursing facility.

• Participate as a patient-care partner team (example: a husband and wife or an adult child and parent).

The GUIDE Model is a groundbreaking initiative designed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to transform dementia care.

The GUIDE Model is designed to:

• Improve quality of life: We aim to enhance the well-being of individuals living with dementia by addressing their behavioral health and functional needs, coordinating care for dementia and co-occurring conditions, and ensuring smoother transitions between community, hospital and post-acute settings.
• Reduce caregiver burden: We provide crucial support to the unpaid caregivers of people living with dementia. This includes caregiver skills training, referrals to valuable community-based social services, 24/7 access to a support line for immediate assistance and respite services to offer caregivers a much-needed break.
• Support independent living: Our goal is to prevent or delay the need for long-term nursing home care for as long as appropriate. By empowering caregivers and providing essential resources, we help people living with dementia remain safely and comfortably in their homes for as long as possible.

At the Cunningham Center for Compassionate Aging, our dedicated team of specialists conducts a comprehensive, three-hour evaluation for each patient and their care partner. This in-depth assessment includes:

• Functional assessment
• Medication evaluation
• Neurocognitive testing
• Physical examination
• Sensory testing
• Social impacts

Palliative medicine, or palliative care, focuses on the whole person, helping you feel as good as possible. It recognizes that people living with a serious illness benefit from expert care to manage pain, improve quality of life and provide comfort, as well as emotional and spiritual support.

Patients facing a serious illness may seek palliative care if they believe it may benefit them, even while undergoing active treatment. Palliative care addresses your physical and emotional needs to keep you comfortable and able to enjoy the activities of daily life as fully as possible.

There is a common misunderstanding that palliative medicine is only for individuals who have a terminal illness. However, people undergoing active treatment for their conditions may also benefit from palliative medicine.

Available to patients of all ages, palliative medicine focuses on caring for the body, mind and spirit to provide relief from symptoms, pain and stress.

Your primary care provider may refer you to a palliative medicine specialist. However, services can also be provided at your request or a care partner’s request. To speak to a member of YRMC’s Palliative Medicine team, call (928) 775-5567.

Advance directives are important documents that indicate a patient’s wishes should they become incapacitated. Advance directives can be used to give a family member or other loved one the power to make decisions on the patient’s behalf. The preparation of advance directives, such as a living will, medical power of attorney, mental health power of attorney or a combination of all three, is an important part of health care planning.