Despite scientific progress over the past 25 years, dementia remains one of the toughest health-care challenges. Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, and the number of deaths from all related dementias may be twice as high. Years of investment and research in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) are sowing seeds of hope. New treatments aim to slow cognitive decline and manage symptoms. However, because of the complexity of dementia, people living with dementia will likely need a combination of drug treatments, comprehensive care, and supportive services to help them live their lives to the fullest after diagnosis.

Advocacy organizations, policymakers, researchers, and health-care professionals are developing ways to meet the complex medical and social needs of the estimated 7.2 million Americans living with ADRD and their families. To advance the adoption of comprehensive dementia-care models, the Milken Institute Alliance to Improve Dementia Care convened a roundtable in June 2021. Leaders across industry, government, research, advocacy, philanthropy, health systems, and community-based organizations explored ways to improve and pay for comprehensive dementia care.

This report presents actionable recommendations to advance comprehensive dementia care and implement effective payment policies. These recommendations center around two overarching themes:

1. Developing a structured framework to test, implement, and scale comprehensive dementia-care models; and

2. Implementing effective payment policies to incentivize adoption and participation in comprehensive dementia-care models.