Health Care Professionals
The following information is a compilation of free educational materials, tools, and local resources to support health care professionals that provide care for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and their caregivers.
Free Alzheimer's & Dementia Training
- Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care ECHO Program
Alzheimer’s Association
Offers a 6-month tele-mentoring program for primary care teams to improve quality Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias care in the primary care setting.
Target Audience: Physicians, nurses, and social workers. Continuing education credit available. - Alzheimer’s and Dementia Clinical Courses
Alzheimer’s Association
Offers 7 courses on topics including early-onset Alzheimer’s disease and epidemiology of these conditions in diverse populations.
Target Audience: Physicians, Alzheimer’s disease, and related dementias professionals. Continuing education credit available. - Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Training Courses
University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
This course offers training modules to support health care providers in improving care for their patients living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Some topics covered include diagnosing non-Alzheimer’s disease dementia, end-of-life care, and safety precautions.
Target Audience: Physicians, nurses, and social workers. Continuing education credit available. - Brain Health Academy
UsAgainstAlzheimer's
Provides free evidence-based courses on topics like obesity and dementia, diabetes and dementia, and hearing and dementia, to enhance the knowledge and support of professionals caring for people with dementia.
Target Audience: Health care and wellness providers. Continuing education credit available. - Caring for Veterans with Dementia Course and Toolkit
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
The VA Geriatrics Scholars Program offers learning opportunities to improve the care of older Veterans. This program offers a course on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and a toolkit with access to clinical tools and resources for patients and caregivers.
Target Audience: Physicians. - Dementia Care Aware
University of California, San Francisco
This 90-minute online training program is for the Cognitive Health Assessment (CHA). Providers who take the training are eligible to bill for the CHA for patients 65 and older with Medi-Cal only using code 1494F.
Target Audience: Primary care teams. Continuing education credit available. - Dementia Care Training Course
Bureau of Health Workforce, Health Resources and Services Administration
This self-paced training includes 37 modules across four series: overview of dementia and health care provider roles, helping caregivers, addressing caregiver needs, and nursing home training.
Target Audience: Primary care practitioners, health professions faculty, students, members of a geriatrics care team, direct service workers.
Cognitive Assessment & Care Planning Reimbursement
- Care Planning
Alzheimer’s Association
Find information on using the 99483 Medicare code for cognitive assessment and care planning tools.
- Cognitive Assessment
Alzheimer’s Association
Find an overview about the Medicare Annual Wellness visit, tools, and videos demonstrating a cognitive assessment.
- Cognitive Assessment and Care Plan Services
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Find an overview of the cognitive assessment included in the Medicare’s Annual Wellness Visit and billing code information for cognitive assessments and care planning services.
Screening, Diagnosis & Management
- Alzheimer’s and Related Dementias Resources for Professionals
National Institute on Aging
Find a repository of resources and tools on Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias screening, diagnosis, management, and more.
- Differential Diagnosis
Alzheimer’s Association
Find information and guidance on some of the clinical diagnostic differences between the major types of dementia.
- Lewy Body Dementia Diagnosis and Assessment
Lewy Body Dementia Association
Find information on cognitive assessments, diagnostic criteria related to Lewy body dementia, and download a comprehensive guide for diagnosing & managing Lewy body dementia.
- Screening for Cognitive Impairment
Champions for Health - San Diego
Find a repository of cognitive impairment screening and assessment instruments, some instruments are also available in Spanish.
- Early Detection of Cognitive Impairment/Promoting Risk Reduction in Primary Care Presentations
USC/Rancho California Alzheimer’s Disease Center
Find two presentations focused on supporting early detection of cognitive impairment in the primary care setting and promoting dementia risk reduction strategies among African American and Latino patients living in Los Angeles County.
Target Audience: Physicians
Provider Toolkits
- Assessment of Cognitive Complaints Toolkit for Alzheimer’s Disease
California Department of Public Health
Offers guidance and tools to recognize normal cognition, diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, and identify memory problems requiring referral.
- Early Detection of Dementia Toolkit - Health Systems
BOLD Public Health Center of Excellence – Early Detection of Dementia
Provides resources and strategies to support dementia detection efforts within your practice.
- Clinician’s Guide to Assessing and Counseling Older Drivers, 4th Edition
American Geriatrics Society
Offers guidance in assessing and older adult’s ability to drive and resources to ensure driver safety.
- Handbook for Helping People Living with Alone with Dementia Who Have No Known Support
National Alzheimer's and Dementia Resource Center
Offers guidance and tools on working with people with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias that live alone.
- Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Dementia: Practical Strategies for Professionals Guide
National Alzheimer’s and Dementia Resource Center
Offers strategies on working with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities that have Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.
- KAER Toolkit for Primary Care Teams
The Gerontological Society of America
Offers guidance in initiating conversations about brain health, diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, and resources for providing patients with community-based supports.
- Provider Practice Tools
Dementia Friendly America
Find a repository of tools on working with patients with memory concerns can use in practice.
Specialty Centers in Los Angeles
- Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Research at UCLA
Find information about current research studies and services and programs offered.
- Rancho Los Amigos/USC California Alzheimer’s Disease Center
Offers information for healthcare providers and agencies on the patient referral process.
- UCLA Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Program
Offers information for UCLA primary care providers, neurologist, or psychiatrist on the patient referral process.
Resources on Communicating with Patients
- Alzheimer's and Dementia Outreach, Recruitment and Engagement Resources
National Insitute on Aging
Find a repository of resources on engaging and recruiting patients for clinical trials and studies.
- Talking with Patients About Alzheimer's and Related Dementias Clinical Trials
Alzheimers.gov
Find information on how to talk to patients about participating in clinical trials and ways to get involved with current research studies.
- Talking with Patients About Brain Health
Administration for Community Living
Find two PowerPoint presentations on educating older adult patients about risk reduction strategies for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and the impact certain medications have on an older adult’s brain.
- Talking with Older Patients About Cognitive Problems
National Institute on Aging
Find tips on effectively communicate with older adult patients about cognitive problems and how to include families and caregivers as part of the health care team.