Impact Waves: Innovative Strategies for Dementia Care Management
Dementia, a devastating disease impacting our memory, thinking, and daily lives, affects around seven million Americans today, with most battling Alzheimer's disease. A shocking reality is that millions are left without consistent, quality care, leaving their families in the lurch. This brutal cycle is about to get worse, as the number of dementia patients in the US is projected to skyrocket to nearly 13 million by 2050.
However, amidst this destructive landscape, there are entrepreneurs like Kris Engskov, taking the dementia care industry by storm. Boasting an untested background in healthcare, Engskov is the CEO and co-founder of Seattle-based startup Rippl. This innovative company is revolutionizing dementia care with an approach that values quality and outcomes over volume, setting a new standard in the field.
After serving 16 years at Starbucks, Engskov was ready for a change. When founder Howard Schultz left, he saw his opportunity to step into the edge of healthcare. With aging parents who narrowly escaped the long-term healthcare system's clutches, he saw an untapped sector with tremendous potential for change.
Investing in and becoming president of Ageis Living, a large assisted living company on the West Coast, solidified his venture into the industry. However, it took three years of witnessing the grueling battle of caring for the frailest individuals for him to realize that true transformation wouldn't come from his position.
Pioneering Value-Based Dementia Care
The spark for Rippl was Engskov's disheartening discovery of how many times Aegis residents were sent to the ER, due to their dementia-related symptoms that staff couldn't manage. This eye-opening moment propelled him into a deep dive to explore the inadequacies in the US healthcare system when it comes to supporting people with dementia, and ways to keep them in their homes.
In 2021, Rippl launched, securing a substantial seed round to begin providing virtual, value-based dementia care. Their business model prioritizes quality and outcomes, in contrast to the traditional volume-based approach, which emphasizes quantity and services. This strategy originated from the University of California in San Francisco, where clinicians discovered that providing care remotely could be equally effective.
"The clinicians who developed it realized you didn't have to see these patients in person to be effective at helping them stay at home," says Engskov. "Dementia care is such a labor-intensive business, yet our model is virtual. We can get to anyone, anywhere, which is incredible for access."
Wrap-Around Support for Patients and Caregivers
Rippl's telehealth approach is a game-changer for dementia care. Their team consists of a nurse practitioner, a licensed clinical social worker, and a care navigator, who all team up to provide comprehensive support to patients and their caregivers.
The care navigator develops a personal relationship with the caregiver, who often finds themselves overwhelmed when dealing with a loved one in the middle stages of dementia and their erratic behavior. The navigator can predict these behaviors and promptly intervene when necessary, ensuring proper medication calibration. This proactive task often prevents agitation for the patient.
Rippl also provides psychotherapy resources, adeptly supporting caregivers who have never faced this disease before. Arming them with practical advice on handling difficulties and managing their mental health during this trying time.
Revolutionizing Access to Dementia Care
Rippl operates in five states, collaborating with prominent insurers, provider groups, and health systems. Last summer, Springfield Clinic in Illinois joined forces with Rippl, increasing the availability of financially covered resources previously unattainable.
To ensure that patients not accepted into the CMS GUIDE program have access to care in their community, Rippl also partners with local organizations.
"Some of these resources are unknown to medical providers, so it has been a huge help for Rippl to build partnerships and educate our teams and patients on the available resources," adds Summers. "At last, dementia is receiving the recognition it deserves, while patients are receiving the extra care and support they need."
Nevertheless, a tsunami of rising dementia cases is looming. A groundbreaking study indicates the risk of developing dementia in Americans after the age of 55 is 42%, twice the risk reported by older studies. Although new drugs are available, they are designed for patients during an earlier stage in the disease process. Additionally, the severe shortage of care facilities makes it impossible to continue placing people into care.
Expanding Horizons
Last April Rippl and the Alzheimer's Association announced a partnership, marking a dramatic shift to bring top-notch dementia care to communities across the US through the introduction of the Dementia Care Navigation Service (DCNS).
Monica Moreno, senior director of Dementia Care Navigation at the Alzheimer's Association, described Rippl's virtual care model as a game-changer, making needed care, support, and resources available to individuals and caregivers no matter their location.
She explains, "By leveraging telehealth, the model offers a cost-effective, efficient way to deliver care and services to areas of the country without reasonable physical access to comparable services. In addition, the model helps bridge transportation challenges, which can be major barriers to care. The model helps reduce costs as well by significantly reducing or eliminating the time and coordination required for either the individual to travel to an office or a provider to travel to someone's home. Studies have shown virtual care models not only reduce costs but can improve patient outcomes as well."
Last year Rippl raised $23 million in Series A capital, provided by investors that include Rippl's seed investors ARCH Venture Partners, General Catalyst, GV (Google Ventures), F-Prime, Mass General Brigham Ventures, 1843 Capital, and JSL Health.
"It's still the early days for value-based healthcare, and dementia care is the perfect blueprint for it," says Engskov. "We have to deliver and the outcome must be better. Care should be delivered more cost-effectively. We can do it virtually, and we can do it swiftly."
- The disheartening discovery by Kris Engskov, CEO and co-founder of Rippl, led him to launch the startup in 2021, providing virtual, value-based dementia care that prioritizes quality and outcomes over quantity.
- Rippl's telehealth approach offers comprehensive support to patients and their caregivers, with a nurse practitioner, a licensed clinical social worker, and a care navigator who develop personal relationships with caregivers, predict behavior, and ensure medication calibration.
- The Rippl and Alzheimer's Association partnership introduced the Dementia Care Navigation Service (DCNS) in April 2021, aiming to bring top-notch dementia care to communities across the US, utilizing a telehealth model to deliver cost-effective, efficient care and resources, regardless of location.
