An Interprofessional Virtual Healthcare Neighborhood for Caregivers of Elderly With Dementia

• Virtual Healthcare Neighborhood (VHN)—website for caregivers of individuals with dementiaNeed for website support for populationSteps to developing websiteRole of computer specialistContent (blogs, question-and-answer portals, educational materials, videos, resources)
• Interprofessional team
• Lessons learned
• Implications for the future

Healthcare websites are vital resources for individuals with limited access to healthcare. The 6 million United States citizens with dementia and their caregivers are an example of a population in need of the assistance provided by interactive websites. Dementia often confines the patient and caregiver to the home, thus creating caregiver burden and stress that often results in institutional care. This article describes the nurse practitioner‒developed Virtual Healthcare Neighborhood, a web-based platform. The Virtual Healthcare Neighborhood provides an interprofessional approach to using technology to provide education, peer support, and healthcare consultation to caregivers of homebound older adults with dementia.