Emergency Care for Persons Living with Dementia.

Assessments are available which can help to identify emergency department (ED) patients who may have dementia. Persons living with dementia (PLWD) have unique emergency care needs such as difficulties with activities of daily living and behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. Multiple emergency care practices have shown improved outcomes for PLWD. Communication between clinicians and PLWD requires additional attention and should include care partners and other clinicians when possible. Transitions of care from the ED for PLWD are often problematic with poor outcomes. Interventions like community paramedicine follow up may improve the transition from the ED to the community.