PROACTIVE Approach
Personalized Approach and Targeted Interventions (PROACTIVE) Treatment ApproachTM
About the PROACTIVE ApproachTM
The Personalized Approach and Targeted Interventions (PROACTIVE) Treatment ApproachTM is a multi-faceted, nurse-driven approach to improving prevention and management of dementia-related behavioral symptoms among people living with dementia in the hospital setting
The PROACTIVE ApproachTM was developed by the Gilmore-Bykovskyi research team at the University of Wisconsin-Madison BerbeeWalsh Department of Emergency Medicine in partnership with a team of nurses and nursing assistants at the William S. Middleton Veterans Hospital.
Improving Dementia Care
Behavioral expressions (such as agitation) are common and persistent for people living with dementia and often increase in number and severity during hospitalization due to acute illness, pain, and environmental changes. The underlying causes of behavioral expressions are multifactorial, and as a result, evidence supports the use of multi-faceted management strategies tailored to the individual. However, management of behavioral expressions can be challenging, especially during hospitalization, as such there is high risk for use of potentially inappropriate medications (antipsychotics), 1:1 observation, prolonged length of stay, and high staff stress
Partnering for Person-Centered Care
The PROACTIVE ApproachTM focuses on empowering nurses and nursing assistants with easy-to-access evidence-based tools and material resources for behavioral expression management
Through the PROACTIVE ApproachTM nurses and nursing assistants partner with people living dementia, as well as their families, to understand pre-hospital preferences, long-standing habits and routines, and other important information
The PROACTIVE ApproachTM Incorporates Four Core Components
Individualized Needs Assessment
Nurses complete an individual needs assessment, often with family input, which is available to the entire care team
Identify and Treat Physical Needs
Nurses determine the appropriateness of an acetaminophen trial to proactively manage pain-related behavioral expressions
Routine Use Prevention Strategies
Nurses and nursing assistance identify and track individual prevention strategies through use of the “PROACTIVE ApproachTM Spotlight”
Symptom-Specific Treatment Guidance
When new, urgent, or unresolved behaviors arise, nurses and nursing assistants follow guidance for non-pharmacologic symptom-specific treatment responses
Connect With Us
800 University Bay Drive, Madison, WI 53705
(608) 262-3057
algilmore@wisc.edu