Bridging the diagnostic gap: Expanding dementia care navigation for timely diagnosis

Abstract

Over half of dementia cases remain undiagnosed, with persistent disparities across racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. Dementia care navigation (DCN) has demonstrated value in post‐diagnosis settings. If implemented earlier, DCN could address diagnostic delays and care gaps. We define the diagnostic window as the period from initial symptom awareness through diagnosis and early care planning. Drawing on deliberations from the Alzheimer's Association Dementia Care Navigation Roundtable, we present a pre‐diagnosis DCN framework organized across six domains and describe navigator roles across three phases: pre‐evaluation, diagnostic assessment, and immediate post‐diagnosis and transition. We address special considerations, including people without a care partner and those with unmet care needs. The framework complements federal initiatives such as the Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience (GUIDE) Model and the National Alzheimer's Project Act and identifies existing reimbursement pathways for pre‐diagnostic navigation activities. Generating evidence to refine these models across diverse settings will be essential to inform policy action and system‐level integration.