GoTo Telemed Launches Virtual Geriatric Cognitive Assessment and Dementia Care Program

Posted on 2026-06-02 by GoToTelemed in Internet & Online // 0 Comments

Helena, Montana, 2026-06-02 — /EPR Network/ — GoTo Telemed, the nation’s leading integrated telehealth ecosystem serving over 10 million patients nationwide, today announced the launch of its dedicated Virtual Geriatric Cognitive Assessment and Dementia Care Program, a comprehensive virtual care initiative designed to provide early detection, remote monitoring, evidence‑based cognitive interventions, and structured support for family caregivers for the growing population of older adults at risk for or living with dementia. Delivered by a multidisciplinary network of geriatricians, neurologists, neuropsychologists, geriatric psychiatrists, and certified dementia care specialists through GoTo Telemed’s secure, HIPAA‑compliant platform, the program brings guideline‑aligned dementia care directly into the homes of older adults and their families across all 50 states, eliminating the geographic and logistical barriers that have historically prevented timely diagnosis and coordinated management.

Dementia has reached crisis proportions in the United States. An estimated 7.4 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with clinical Alzheimer’s dementia in 2026, representing approximately one in nine older adults (about 11%). The burden is expected to grow substantially: by 2060, the number is projected to reach 13.8 million. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60‑80% of cases, and is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a prodromal stage that confers high risk for progression to dementia, is even more prevalent, yet 92% of MCI cases among Medicare beneficiaries are undiagnosed, with even higher rates among Black and Hispanic/Latino older adults. Missed and delayed diagnoses not only heighten the risk of disease progression but also limit opportunities for patients to adopt beneficial lifestyle changes or access newly available disease‑modifying treatments.

“Dementia is not a normal part of aging, yet the vast majority of older adults who develop cognitive impairment never receive a formal diagnosis, and those who do often wait years after symptoms begin,” said a GoTo Telemed spokesperson. “Our Virtual Geriatric Cognitive Assessment and Dementia Care Program changes this paradigm. We bring the full spectrum of evidence‑based dementia care—from at‑home digital cognitive screening and remote specialist consultation to Alzheimer’s Association‑aligned caregiver education—directly into patients’ homes through a single, unified telehealth platform. By eliminating the barriers of transportation, specialist shortages, and caregiver burden, we are making early detection and coordinated dementia care accessible to every family, no matter where they live.”

The Urgent Need for Dementia‑Focused Telehealth

The prevalence of Alzheimer’s dementia increases steeply with age: among the 7.2 million cases reported in 2025, 26.3% were aged 65‑74, 39.0% were aged 75‑84, and 34.8% were aged 85 and older. Two‑thirds of all Americans with Alzheimer’s disease are women. Older adults consistently express a strong desire to “age in place” and receive care at home, yet the fragmented nature of dementia care—requiring neurologists, geriatricians, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, and caregivers to coordinate across multiple unconnected settings—has made home‑based dementia care the exception rather than the rule. Telehealth for Alzheimer’s disease is increasingly recognized as a critical tool for overcoming these barriers, enabling remote cognitive assessments, remote patient monitoring of daily activities and behaviors, medication management, emergency response systems, and reduction of social isolation through virtual peer and family connections.

Core Clinical Components of the Dementia Care Program

1. Remote Digital Cognitive Assessment and Early Detection

The program integrates multiple evidence‑based remote cognitive assessment tools, validated for use in older adult populations, to enable early detection of mild cognitive impairment and dementia from the patient’s home.

Browser‑Based Digital Cognitive Testing: The program utilizes the Oxford Cognitive Testing Portal (OCTAL) , a fully remote, browser‑based cognitive assessment platform optimized for personal devices. OCTAL comprises a suite of tasks measuring memory, attention, executive function, and visuospatial processing; optional secondary modules can address specific clinical questions. Four validation studies have confirmed that even patients with dementia show high completion rates (greater than 75%) on OCTAL. The platform’s open, modular architecture makes it a uniquely sustainable and evolvable tool for large‑scale cognitive screening. MiniOCTAL, a shortened version, detects cognitive impairment with excellent accuracy regardless of cutoff and has been shown to predict standard cognitive screening scores.

Home‑Based Digital Cognitive Screening: A 16‑month pilot study of 51 older adults comparing remote digital cognitive assessments completed on personal devices to in‑clinic testing found that completion rates for at‑home assessments ranged from 60% to 76%, and participants generally preferred at‑home testing. All but one digital test showed moderate correlations with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and providers found in‑clinic testing acceptable, although barriers related to device access and electronic medical record integration were identified.

Structured Remote Follow‑Up Assessments: Using these digital tools, the care team can longitudinally track a patient’s cognitive performance over time, enabling early detection of meaningful decline and timely adjustment of the care plan.

2. Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) for Dementia Care

The program includes a comprehensive RPM module designed specifically for older adults with cognitive impairment, building on the model of the MinderCare service at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. MinderCare uses a discreet network of sensors (sleep mats, movement sensors, door sensors) installed in patients’ homes to collect real‑time data on daily routines, sleep patterns, and vital signs, which is then transmitted to a dedicated team of clinical specialists. Machine‑learning algorithms predict the risk of infections, monitor sleep quality, and alert for external door use during the night. In a cohort of 103 patients, 45% lived alone and were socially isolated; over the course of the program, the clinical team responded to 77 alerts and performed 567 interventions, ranging from advocating for patients with other providers to arranging urgent assessments to counseling caregivers.

GoTo Telemed’s RPM module for dementia care tracks:

Sleep patterns and night‑time awakenings using under‑mattress sensors.

Movement and activity levels to detect early signs of infection, frailty decline, or acute illness.

Door sensors to monitor for unsafe wandering during the night.

Medication adherence via smart pillboxes that transmit dosing confirmation.

Vital signs (blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen saturation) using Bluetooth‑enabled home devices.

3. Specialist Virtual Consultations and Care Coordination

The program provides direct access to a multidisciplinary geriatric dementia care team through GoTo Telemed’s secure video platform. Telehealth for Alzheimer’s disease enables health care providers to remotely assess a patient’s cognitive function and track progress over time. Patients continue to see their local primary care provider while benefitting from specialist recommendations, and local providers gain knowledge through virtual continuing education delivered by dementia care experts. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has established the GUIDE (Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience) model, which includes a Dementia Care Navigation Training Series covering 11 key topics and fulfilling training requirements for care coordination. The Alzheimer’s Association has also launched the AADAPT Act to expand capacity for health care providers to participate in structured virtual education programs focused on Alzheimer’s and dementia care, strengthening providers’ skills in detection, diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care through free, remote continuing education led by dementia care experts.

4. Virtual Caregiver Education and Support

Recognizing that dementia is a family disease, the program includes a dedicated, evidence‑based virtual caregiver support arm.

Free Virtual Educational Programs: GoTo Telemed partners with the Alzheimer’s Association and AARP to offer a series of free virtual educational programs throughout 2026, including sessions on communicating effectively in dementia care, supporting veterans with dementia, responding to dementia‑related behaviors, and exploring care and support services. The virtual classes are designed for anyone caring for a loved one with dementia, supporting a veteran, or seeking to learn more about effective dementia care; participants gain insight into communication strategies, changes that occur as dementia progresses, and ways to promote independence and dignity, and learn how to respond to behavioral shifts and connect with community services.

Online Caregiver Education Platforms: The program provides access to the Alzheimer’s Association’s online caregiving section, which features comprehensive resources for early‑stage, middle‑stage, and late‑stage caregiving. It also offers a series of free videos and live‑streamed webinars covering specific challenges like wandering, agitation, and refusal to bathe.

Digital Therapeutics for Caregivers: Patients and caregivers gain access to the iGeriCare web‑based education program, designed specifically to empower care partners of people living with dementia with the knowledge and skills to support themselves and those they care for. They also have access to the STELLA‑R online research study, which teaches family care partners evidence‑based strategies for managing challenging behaviors and provides resources to support them through their caregiving journey.

5. Provider‑to‑Provider Telehealth and “Telementoring”

The program leverages the Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) model, a transformative “telementoring” approach that connects primary care providers in rural and underserved areas with specialist dementia care teams. The Louisiana‑Mississippi Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Project (LAMS‑GWEP) uses monthly ECHO training sessions for doctors, nurses, and social workers who work with ADRD patients, supported by a five‑year, $5 million HRSA grant aimed at improving integrated care in primary care settings for individuals and families living with ADRD. This model allows local providers to gain specialty expertise without leaving their communities.

Addressing Access Barriers for Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment

A 2025 updated systematic review of digital health technology adoption among older adults with chronic diseases identified key barriers that GoTo Telemed’s program is designed to overcome. Barriers included limited digital literacy and physical and cognitive challenges (capability), infrastructural deficits and usability challenges (opportunity), and privacy concerns, mistrust, and high satisfaction with existing care (motivation). Facilitators included tailored training and accessible design, health care provider endorsement and hybrid care models, and recognition of digital health benefits.

GoTo Telemed’s program specifically addresses these barriers through:

Assisted technology setup: Caregivers and family members are trained to assist patients with device use and platform navigation.

Accessibility features: The platform provides a large, clear view of the provider, adjustable font sizes and contrast, voice control, and text‑to‑speech for patients who struggle to read a screen.

Provider‑endorsed workflows: The referral originates from a trusted primary care provider, and the program is integrated directly into the patient’s medical home.

Hybrid care model: Patients receive virtual specialist consultations while continuing to see their local providers for ongoing primary care.

Comprehensive Telehealth Modalities for Dementia Care

The HHS Telehealth for Alzheimer’s Disease Best Practice Guide lists the full scope of services that telehealth can provide for dementia patients. The GoTo Telemed program incorporates all of them:

Remote cognitive assessments – tracking cognitive function over time.

Remote patient monitoring – monitoring daily activities, sleep patterns, and activity levels.

Medication management – ensuring proper medication adherence and checking for side effects.

Emergency response systems – alerting providers and caregivers if the patient needs assistance, reducing risks associated with wandering or emergencies at home.

Reducing isolation – connecting patients and caregivers with care teams, family members, and peers.

Provider‑to‑provider consultations – enabling local primary care providers to consult virtually with dementia specialists.

Federal Partnerships and Alignment with National Initiatives

GoTo Telemed’s program aligns with multiple federal and national dementia care initiatives:

The GUIDE Model (CMS): Dementia Care Navigation Training Series fulfilling CMS training requirements.

The AADAPT Act: Expanding structured virtual education programs for Alzheimer’s and dementia care, strengthening providers’ skills in detection, diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care.

HRSA Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP): The program builds on the GWEP model, which funds 48 grantees across the country, each collaborating with Area Agencies on Aging and Quality Improvement Organizations to strengthen state aging, public health, and intellectual and developmental disability workforces.

HRSA Technology‑Enabled Collaborative Learning Program (TCLP): A program designed to improve retention of health care providers and increase access to health care services, including those to address chronic conditions.

Integration Within GoTo Telemed’s Unified Geriatric Ecosystem

The Virtual Geriatric Cognitive Assessment and Dementia Care Program operates as a fully integrated component of GoTo Telemed’s unified telehealth platform, which already serves over 10 million patients across medical, neurology, geriatric psychiatry, primary care, and wellness specialties.

Unified Electronic Health Record (EHR): All digital cognitive test results, RPM sensor data, medication records, and caregiver education notes are consolidated in the patient’s lifelong health record, accessible to all authorized providers including geriatricians, neurologists, and primary care physicians.

Remote Monitoring Dashboard: Clinicians view cognitive screening trends, RPM sensor alerts, medication adherence metrics, and patient‑reported outcomes on a central interface, with automated alerts for concerning declines or acute events.

E‑Prescribing and Medication Management: Alzheimer’s medications (cholinesterase inhibitors, memantine, and newly approved disease‑modifying therapies) are prescribed electronically, with real‑time formulary benefit tools and adherence tracking.

Secure Video and Companion App: High‑definition, HIPAA‑compliant video consultations enable live cognitive assessment, caregiver training, and family meetings. The companion mobile app provides access to caregiver education modules, medication reminders, and secure messaging with the care team.

Seamless Care Escalations: Built‑in warm handoffs to neurology, geriatric psychiatry, memory disorder clinics, and social work services when clinical needs require in‑person evaluation or higher levels of intervention.

Availability

GoTo Telemed’s Virtual Geriatric Cognitive Assessment and Dementia Care Program is available immediately to patients and families nationwide through the GoTo Telemed platform. Patients may self‑refer or be referred by their primary care provider, geriatrician, or neurologist. The program is covered by most major insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans that have adopted the GUIDE model.

Geriatricians, neurologists, geriatric psychiatrists, neuropsychologists, and certified dementia care specialists interested in joining GoTo Telemed’s provider network are invited to apply through the company’s credentialing portal.

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