How linked are physicians to community support services for their patientswith dementia?

Physicians increasingly are expected to link patients affected by dementia and their families with community support services; yet, little is known ab out physicians' referral patterns or their familiarity with such services. This study of 206 physicians found that respondents were more likely to ref er dementia patients and families to home health agencies and nursing homes than to respite or adult day care, the local Alzheimer's Association, or t he local Area Agency on Aging. physicians with more than 20 dementia patien ts in their practices were most likely to refer uncertainty about available community services was ranked higher than rime or reimbursement constraint s as a barrier to care for dementia patients. Physicians in practice 1 to 5 years were more uncertain about available services than physicians in prac tice more than 20 years. Creative interventions to link physicians with com munity support services specializing in dementia care would benefit physici ans, patients, and family caregivers.