More than 55 million people worldwide are living with Alzheimer’s or some other form of dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.1
In 2024, unpaid caregivers provided an estimated 19+ billion hours of care valued at more than $413 billion, according to the Alzheimer’s Association 2025 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report. Health and long-term care costs for people living with dementia are projected to reach $384 billion in 2025 and nearly $1 trillion in 2050.2
When people living with dementia are diagnosed early and receive support, they can live meaningful, joyful lives. Care planning, education, and associated services can be empowering for the dementia patient, their primary unpaid caregiver, and family. This early information can help them navigate treatment options and understand day-to-day care, decreasing ER visits and hospitalizations, reducing uncertainties, and lessening patient and caregiver stress.
The good news is that many states are fortunate to have a robust network of organizations that can help. For example, Massachusetts clinicians can recommend that individuals and families seek help by exploring options through free information, referral, and counseling resources, available at Community-Based Services and Supports for Massachusetts Residents Living with Dementia and Their Care Partners.
Still, though, many people do not know where to go or how to ask for help. To simplify the complex journey of dementia care, ForHealth Consulting at UMass Chan Medical School, in partnership with the Massachusetts Executive Office of Aging & Independence and the Massachusetts Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Disease and All Other Dementias, designed and developed the Dementia Care Planning Toolkit: A Resource for Individuals and Their Care Partners, Families, and Care Providers.
The toolkit assists healthcare and community service providers, caregivers, and people living with dementia in creating personalized care plans that evolve as the disease progresses. Items like sample dementia care plans and a brief worksheet to help one prepare for meaningful and sometimes difficult care planning discussions are included. These resources support effective person-centered care, aligned with the recipient’s unique life experiences, goals, values, and priorities.3
The toolkit also points caregivers to educational resources like 24/7 helplines, educational webinars, links to local support groups (both in-person and virtual), and extensive information about optimal health, stages of caregiving, end-of-life care, and financial assistance.
These resources enable caregivers to better understand their loved one’s diagnosis, communicate more effectively with medical professionals, and build awareness of available support. Caregivers can also improve their own physical and mental health by empowering themselves with information that helps guide decision-making.
Using toolkits like this one can help the entire care team provide optimal outcomes for those living with dementia while maintaining and enhancing their dignity and quality of life.
1 https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia