The expanding role of family medicine in Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias

The expanding role of family medicine in Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias 
Patient Care; by Grace Halsey; 10/7/25 
[From the 2025 Family Medicine Experience conference] Family medicine's unique position in dementia management spans initial diagnosis through end-of-life care. ...
Dementia Staging: Clinical Assessment and Hospice Eligibility: For practical bedside assessment and hospice determination, the Functional Assessment Staging Tool (FAST) proves particularly valuable.1 The FAST scale includes 7 main stages, progressing from no impairment (stage 1) through severe dementia requiring total care (stage 7). Stage 7 breaks down further into substages (7a-7f) that capture specific functional losses including ambulation, independent sitting, smiling, and head control. Eligibility for hospice care generally requires FAST stage 7c or beyond, indicating ... [continue reading this important criteria] 
Editor's Note: Leaders must understand hospice eligibility criteria when setting census goals, guiding teams, and communicating with families. Getting it wrong risks fraudulent billing, angry caregivers when live discharges occur, or too little care that comes too late. Getting it right ensures dignity, humanity, and meaningful final moments amid dementia's long goodbyes—true measures of compassionate hospice dementia care.