Essentials of Caregiving – Understanding a Diagnosis of Dementia

Neela K. Patel, MD, MPH, CMD, AGSF, FAAFP, is an accomplished academic physician in geriatrics and supportive care, serving as an Associate Professor with Tenure and Chief of the Division of Geriatrics and Supportive Care in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She also holds the pivotal Outreach Recruitment and Engagement Core Director role at the Glenn Biggs Institute/South Texas Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (South Texas ADRC). Dr. Patel's significant contributions include the development of the innovative CARINOS model of care, seamlessly integrating care for seriously ill older adults into primary care settings. This model has been recognized and published as a book chapter in "Geriatrics Models of Care," as well as presented at an invited roundtable workshop of the National Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine. Dr. Patel is also a Visiting Professor at two prestigious universities in India, recognized for her work in training trainers for supportive palliative care in patients with dementia. Her influence as a leader in the primary and supportive care of older adults extends internationally, nationally, regionally, and within UT Health San Antonio. Dr. Patel is committed to advancing geriatrics and supportive care through education, research, and innovative care models, and she looks forward to making a positive impact in the field and beyond.