Researchers Study Over-the-Phone Dementia Care for Northwest Houston Seniors

University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Professor Sabrina Pickens is using a $120,000 grant from the Alzheimer's Association and help from Northwest Assistance Ministries (NAM) to lead a six-month pilot study to measure the effectiveness of over-the-phone care for Meals on Wheels clients with dementia and their caregivers, reports the Houston Chronicle . "For Meals on Wheels, with home delivery, we service about 800 seniors and disabled adults in northwest Harris County," said NAM's Grace Jackson. Volunteers distribute fliers about the study while on their Meals on Wheels route. Interested recipients and their caregivers can call Pickens, who can enroll them via phone. The program recognizes the unmet needs of seniors with dementia and their caregivers through baseline evaluations, with short-term and long-term goals outlined to meet those needs. "Enrollees receive a minimum of once-a-month calls to see if your need was met; see if they met the goal or not, and if they didn't, we kind of brainstorm as to why they didn't and what other services they may need to help them with that goal," Pickens noted.