Per the Centennial Vision, entry-level professional education must prepare clinicians to meet the needs of the population living with dementia and their care partners. Education standards that focus on cognition are in alignment with existing evidence; inside and outside of the profession of occupational therapy. Various practice models in support of specialized dementia care and how they inform the role of occupational therapy in the service of persons living with dementia are presented. National initiatives in healthcare reform align with evidence to support the role of occupational therapy with this special population; to reduce the occurrence of neuropsychiatric symptoms, use fo psychotropic medications, and prevention of excess disability through the promotion of meaningful occupations.
