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According to a study conducted by a research team from Brown University, implementing four non-pharmacological interventions for dementia care resulted in cost savings of up to $13,000, decreased admissions to nursing homes, and improved quality of life when compared to traditional care.

The researchers suggest that health insurance policies should offer incentives to healthcare providers and systems to adopt these affordable interventions for patients with dementia.

The research team utilized computer modeling to demonstrate that, in comparison to conventional care, four interventions for dementia care resulted in cost savings of up to $13,000, a decrease in nursing home admissions, and an enhancement in the quality of life.

The recent study, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, utilized a computer simulation model to demonstrate the cost-saving potential of four interventions for caring for individuals with dementia. The results showed that these interventions saved anywhere from $2,800 to $13,000 in societal costs, depending on the specific intervention. In addition, all of the interventions reduced nursing home admissions and improved the quality of life for people with dementia, compared to the standard care received.

The study suggests that the non-drug interventions have been found to improve the quality of life of people with dementia and their caregivers, while also reducing the likelihood of nursing home admissions. However, these interventions are not widely implemented in clinical care centers, partly due to a lack of infrastructure to support them.

The study evaluated four evidence-based nonpharmacological interventions and found that they were cost-effective and could save money. These interventions include at-home care coordination, counseling sessions for caregivers, individual care plans, and adult day care services with additional caregiver support. These nonpharmacological interventions are recommended as first-line therapies for managing Alzheimer’s and dementia.