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Disseminating the Use of the DICE Approach and the WeCareAdvisor
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Disseminating the Use of the DICE Approach and the WeCareAdvisor

Helen Kales, Mary Blazek, Art Walaszek and Laura Gitlin
The American journal of geriatric psychiatry, v 30(4), pp S23-S23
Apr 2022
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jagp.2022.01.290

Abstract

Over 6 million people in the US are living with dementia with most living at home cared for by over 16 million family caregivers. Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) occur accross disease etiologies and stages and most often dominate disease presentation. BPSD have wide ranging deleterious consequences for people living with dementia and their families. We have operationalized a model ("DICE" for Describe-Investigate-Create-Evaluate) that provides a systematic way of assessing and managing BPSD. Unlike other approaches, DICE integrates pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic approaches and provides guidelines for first-line medication use as well as empowering, motivating and engaging key stakeholders (including both family and professional caregivers). Caregivers are trained to problem-solve, brain-storm, identify triggers and implement person-centered care strategies tailored to potentially underlying contributors to BPSD. The DICE Approach has now been manualized and operationalized to include in-person trainings. In addition, a caregiver training website has been created using lessons learned from the in-person trainings. Lastly, the DICE approach has been paired with technology to create a caregiver app called the "WeCareAdvisor" in a previous NIA-sponsored developmental R01. This session will describe the implementation of the training website in two different states (Michigan and Wisconsin) as well as a current R01 that is testing the WeCare Advisor in a large randomized controlled trial with a national recruitment.

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