# Caring for the Caregiver: How the ED Can Support Caregivers of Patients with Dementia

> GEMCast host Dr. Christina Shenvi is joined by Dr. Cameron Gettel to discuss his recent study that found caregivers of patients with dementia have a 30% higher rate of ED visits compared to matched counterparts.

About This Podcast

In today’s episode of GEMCast, host Dr. Christina Shenvi is joined by Dr. Cameron Gettel to discuss a critical but often overlooked issue in the emergency department (ED): the emergency care needs of family caregivers for persons living with dementia (PLWD). Caregivers play an integral role in supporting these patients, but what about their own acute care needs?

Dr. Gettel is an emergency physician and health services researcher at Yale University. His recent study on ED utilization of family caregivers of PLWD found that these caregivers have a 30% higher rate of ED visits compared to matched counterparts. Tune in as Dr. Shenvi and Dr. Gettel discuss why this may be, and how healthcare systems and physicians may attend to the needs of both PLWD and caregivers when they visit the ED.

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Key Points

Family caregivers co-residing with PLWD have a 30% higher rate of ED visits compared to matched counterparts.

Caregiving has real consequences on a caregiver’s health – consider seeing caregivers as “hidden patients” with their own needs.

Caregiving responsibilities may create a high allostatic load. In time, this affects various body systems and can accelerate ageing.

For PLWD, a visit to the ED can be challenging and destabilising. There are many opportunities to improve care within the ED for these patients.

For example: ACEPs GEDA program, integrating protocols for delirium screening and management, and using dementia-specific pain assessments.

Shift from a purely patient-centred model to a more dyadic approach in which the caregiver and patient both need support.

Include caregivers in “What Matters” discussions during ED visits. This benefits patients, while also allowing physicians to assess caregivers’ capacity and health needs.

Consider the ED as an opportunity to connect caregivers with resources for themselves and for the person they are caring for. Simply asking a caregiver to describe a typical day can uncover their responsibilities and the impact of caregiving on their life.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society | May 10, 2025

Emergency Department Utilization Among Co-Residing Family Caregivers of Persons Living With Dementia

An observational cohort study comparing ED visit rates between caregivers of patients with dementia and case-matched controls.

Read the Study

JAMDA | August 2022

Optimal Emergency Department Care Practices for Persons Living With Dementia: A Scoping Review

As mentioned by Dr. Gettel in this episode, this review summarises ED interventions for PLWD and highlights areas for future research. 

Read the Study

Next, listen to Bringing the Heart Back to Medicine by Addressing Social Drivers of Health with Kristie Foster.

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View All Dementia Resources >