Dementia Care Aware collaborates with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement to advance age-friendly health systems

Joint initiative reinforces commitment to high-quality, evidence-based care for older adults and those living with dementia

2026-02-10

(Press-News.org) SAN FRANCISCO (Feb. 10, 2026) — Dementia Care Aware (DCA) is collaborating with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) to support its March 2026 Action Community, a community learning experience that helps health systems across the country implement the 4Ms Framework of an Age-Friendly Health System. DCA is a national organization dedicated to improving dementia detection and care by providing health care teams the education, tools and support necessary to offer high-quality dementia care. This new collaboration advances DCA’s and IHI’s shared goals of ensuring older adults receive evidence-based care for dementia.

“We’re thrilled for this landmark opportunity to collaborate with IHI, a leader in accelerating quality of care, to improve dementia care for older adults,“ said Dr. Anna Chodos, executive director of DCA. “As America’s aging population grows, adopting age-friendly frameworks across health systems is more important than ever, and we are proud to contribute our expertise in dementia care and brain health to help make this a reality.”

IHI’s Action Community connects organizations with expert faculty and peers to test and adopt the 4Ms Framework of an Age-Friendly Health System — a proven approach to improving outcomes for older adults by focusing on four key areas:

What Matters: Know and align care with every person’s specific health goals and preferences across settings of care. Medication: If medication is necessary, use age-friendly medication that does not interfere with What Matters, Mentation or Mobility. Mentation: Prevent, identify, treat and manage dementia, depression and delirium. Mobility: Ensure older adults move safely every day to maintain function and do What Matters “As we prepare to launch our Action Community this year, Dementia Care Aware is essential to expanding the reach and impact of Age-Friendly Health Systems,” said Camille Burnett, PhD, MPA, RN, Vice President of Health Equity, IHI. “DCA brings invaluable knowledge and experience in evidence-based dementia care, helping Action Community participants integrate best practices that will elevate care for older adults nationwide.”

IHI is a leading nonprofit dedicated to applying evidence-based quality improvement methods to meet current and future health care challenges. It provides millions of people in healthcare with methods, tools and resources to make care better, safer and more equitable; convenes experts to enable knowledge sharing and peer-learning; and advises health systems and hospitals of all sizes in improving their systems and outcomes at scale.

Since its launch in 2022, DCA has trained nearly 8,000 healthcare professionals on several topics, including dementia screening, early advance care planning with older adults and assessing and connecting with the caregivers. All courses are free and can be completed online anytime, anywhere. Developed by the University of California, San Francisco, the program was originally funded by the California Department of Health Care Services (Medi-Cal) and is now partnered with the West Health Institute. The organization offers health care professionals free online courses, implementation guides, clinical support and a resource library. To learn more about Dementia Care Aware, visit www.dementiacareaware.org.

About Dementia Care Aware (DCA)

Dementia Care Aware (DCA) is an organization dedicated to improving dementia detection and care by providing the education, tools and support necessary to offer high-quality dementia screenings and brain health plans across the nation, with a continued commitment to underserved and low-income populations. Developed with the University of California, San Francisco, and originally funded by the California Department of Health Care Services through Senate Bill SB 638, the organization offers primary care providers free online courses, implementation guides, warmline support and a Dementia Care Aware resource library. Learn more about Dementia Care Aware at www.dementiacareaware.org.

About the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) is a leading, globally recognized not-for-profit healthcare improvement organization that has been applying evidence-based quality improvement methods to meet current and future healthcare challenges for more than 30 years. IHI provides millions of people in healthcare with methods, tools and resources to make care better, safer and more equitable; convenes experts to enable knowledge sharing and peer-learning; and advises health systems and hospitals of all sizes in improving their systems and outcomes at scale. IHI’s mission is to innovate and lead transformational improvement in health and healthcare worldwide.

About West Health

Solely funded by philanthropists Gary and Mary West, West Health is a family of nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations that include the Gary and Mary West Foundation and Gary and Mary West Health Institute in San Diego and the Gary and Mary West Health Policy Center in Washington, D.C. West Health is dedicated to lowering healthcare costs to enable seniors to successfully age in place with access to high-quality and affordable health and support services that preserve and protect their dignity, quality of life and independence. Learn more at westhealth.org.

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