Alzheimer's Disease Management and Caregiver Care
Target Audience: Pharmacy Tech
Course Overview
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease that involves cognitive decline, memory loss, and personality changes that lead to a patient’s inability to perform simple daily tasks. There are pharmacological treatments that can manage the symptoms of AD, but the patient will invariably need attention and care from a daily caregiver. This course will generally describe pharmacotherapy, patient and caregiver characteristics, counseling and support opportunities, and the need to provide respite care to the caregiver. Treatment plans for patients with AD involve a patient-pharmacy team interaction. Pharmacy staff can connect with other healthcare team members and provide resources and assistance to caregivers as they help manage a patient’s condition and medications.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this educational activity, participants should be able to:
- Recognize early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
- Describe the difference between Alzheimer’s and age-related changes
- List Alzheimer’s risk factors
- Summarize medications used for Alzheimer’s symptom management and disease treatment
- Identify resources and education to provide caregivers during counseling
Faculty
I. Introduction
II. History and Overview of Alzheimer's Disease
III. Pathophysiology of Alzheimer's Disease
Dementia or Alzheiner’s Disease
IV. Warning Signs and Risk Factors of Alzheimer's Disease
Modifiable Risk Factors of Alzheimer's Disease
V. Early Detection of Alzheimer's Disease
VI. Counseling Caregivers of Patients with Alzheimer's Disease
VII. Caregiver Support With Respite Care
A. Developing a Care Plan
B. Resources for Caregivers
VIII. Managing Medications
A. Mild to Moderate Disease
B. Moderate to Severe Disease
C. Managing Behavioral Symptoms
IX. Future Studies
X. Summary
From February 8, 2024 through February 8, 2027, participants must:
- Read the "learning objectives" and "author and planning team disclosures"
- Study the section entitled "educational activity"
- Complete the Course Test and Evaluation form. The Course Test will be graded automatically. Following successful completion of the Course Test with a score of 70% or higher, a statement of participation will be made available immediately. (No partial credit will be given.)
Credit for this course will be automatically uploaded to CPE Monitor®.
Faculty Planner Disclosure
The following individuals were involved in developing this activity: Ashley Walsh, PharmD, and Pamela Sardo, PharmD, BS. Pamela Sardo was an employee of Rhythm Pharmaceuticals until March 2022 and has no conflicts of interest or relationships regarding the subject matter discussed. There are no financial relationships relevant to this activity to report or disclose by any of the individuals involved in the development of this activity.
Unlabeled Use Disclosure
The information provided in this course is general in nature and it is solely designed to provide participants with continuing education credit(s). This course and materials are not meant to substitute for the independent, professional judgment of any participant regarding that participant’s professional practice, including but not limited to patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment and/or health management. Medical and pharmacy practices, rules, and laws vary from state to state, and this course does not cover the laws of each state; therefore, participants must consult the laws of their state as they relate to their professional practice. Healthcare professionals, including pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, must consult with their employer, healthcare facility, hospital, or other organization, for guidelines, protocols, and procedures they are to follow. The information provided in this course does not replace those guidelines, protocols, and procedures but is for academic purposes only, and this course’s limited purpose is for the completion of continuing education credits. Participants are advised and acknowledge that information related to medications, their administration, dosing, contraindications, adverse reactions, interactions, warnings, precautions, or accepted uses are constantly changing, and any person taking this course understands that such person must make an independent review of medication information prior to any patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment and/or health management. Any discussion of off-label use of any medication, device, or procedure is informational only and such uses are not endorsed hereby. Nothing contained in this course represents the opinions, views, judgments, or conclusions of RxCe.com LLC. RxCe.com LLC is not liable or responsible to any person for any inaccuracy, error, or omission with respect to this course, or course material.
Please ensure the device you plan to use meets these requirements:
- Operating System: Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11 / Mac OS X 10.9 or later / iOS / Android
- Supported Browsers: Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, Opera
- A connection to the internet
Accreditation
In support of improving patient care, RxCE.com is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
PTCB Recognition
RxCe.com, LLC, offers pharmacy technician continuing education courses for PTCB recertification. Pharmacy technician courses are indicated both in the Target Audience description and the ACPE UAN which will end with a "T".