Dementia Care Plan Checklist

A dementia care plan should not be a beautiful PDF that nobody opens. It should be the thing your family can actually use when someone asks, "What changed?"

Use this as a working checklist. If a section is blank, that is not a failure. It is a signal that you know what to gather next.

1. Diagnosis and current stage

• Dementia type, if known
• Date of diagnosis and who made it
• Current stage or functional level, if the doctor has described it
• Testing completed: cognitive testing, labs, MRI/CT, PET, medication review, sleep or depression screening
• What the family has noticed in plain language

2. Provider list

• Primary care
• Neurology or memory clinic
• Psychiatry, geriatrics, therapy, home health, or social work
• Pharmacy and preferred hospital
• Emergency contacts and family decision-makers

3. Medication list

For each medication, write down the dose, purpose, prescribing doctor, when it started, side effects to watch for, and who manages refills. Include over-the-counter medicines and supplements. Dementia care gets risky when a medication change is remembered by one person but not visible to the rest of the family.

4. Behavior and symptom tracker

Track the changes that would matter to a clinician: wandering, agitation, sleep changes, hallucinations, delusions, falls, appetite changes, confusion, repetition, depression, anxiety, pain, incontinence, or a sudden decline. Sudden changes can sometimes mean infection, medication side effects, dehydration, pain, or another medical issue that needs attention.

5. Safety plan

• Driving status and who decides when it changes
• Stove, appliance, firearm, and tool access
• Medication access and pill organization
• Fall risk, stairs, bathroom safety, and mobility aids
• Wandering risk, door alarms, ID bracelet, or GPS plan
• Financial access and scam vulnerability

6. Daily routine and care preferences

Write down meals, sleep habits, hygiene support, mobility, communication tips, calming strategies, triggers, favorite activities, transportation needs, and what a good day looks like. This is especially useful when a new caregiver, adult day program, or respite provider gets involved.

7. Legal, financial, and insurance access

Confirm where the power of attorney, health care proxy, advance directive, insurance cards, Medicare/Medicaid information, pharmacy benefits, long-term care policy, and bill access live. Families should do this while the person can still participate as much as possible.

8. Next actions

End every update with a short list: call neurology, refill medication, ask about home safety, compare respite options, upload the hospital discharge summary, schedule follow-up, check insurance, or ask siblings to take a specific shift.