Demenz-freundliche Apotheken Als Ressource für Psychische Gesundheit im Alter
The DARE study (Dementia-Friendly Apothecaries as a Resource for Mental Health in the Elderly) is a multicenter, prospective cohort study aiming to identify individuals with cognitive impairments early in pharmacies and enhance their access to support services. Partner pharmacies are equipped with memory test stations, and pharmaceutical staff are trained to guide participants. The digital memory test evaluates cognitive, psychosocial, and health factors, displaying results in a traffic light graphic. Participants with concerning results are referred to specialists or support services. The study's primary goals are to establish pharmacies as dementia screening hubs, improve care for affected individuals, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, and lay the groundwork for legal and billing frameworks. An optional subproject validates the screening through neurological evaluations.
• Age: Participants must be 60 years or older at the time of consent.
• Language Proficiency: Sufficient knowledge of the German language to understand instructions and participate in the study.
• Cognitive Status: Presence of self-reported, relative-reported, or pharmacist-identified cognitive impairments (e.g., memory problems or mild cognitive changes).
• Consent: Ability to provide informed consent voluntarily.