The University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging launched CARE Compass, a free online program for families caring for someone in the later stages of dementia. CARE Compass means guided videos and downloadable guides that show daily care when needs become complex. University of Kentucky UKnow announced the program on Sept.
10, 2026 in its research announcement. According to Sanders-Brown caregiver resources, it is aimed at family caregivers facing increased demands, changing communication, and physical decline. Late-stage dementia means advanced memory loss, limited communication, and physical decline that needs full daily help.
Table of Contents
- How is the program organized?
- What do the Care Needs videos show?
- How can caregivers use it right now?
- What are its limits?
- What is the same team studying?
How is the program organized?
CARE Compass is built around four compass points. University of Kentucky Research describes them as Care Needs, Activities, Resources and Education in its program overview. The structure gives practical information as care needs become more complex.
Care Needs covers hands-on daily care. Activities, Resources and Education address other parts of late-stage caregiving. Families can start with the point that matches their current concern.
What do the Care Needs videos show?
The Sanders-Brown CARE Compass page lists short videos and demonstrations for bathing, dressing, positioning, hydration, mealtimes, medications and caregiver rest in its Care Needs description. Each topic focuses on one task at a time.
A caregiver might watch positioning before bedtime or mealtimes before lunch. The demonstrations show steps in plain language. Caregiver rest is included because late-stage care is physically demanding.
How can caregivers use it right now?
According to the Sanders-Brown Center, caregivers can use CARE Compass online now. It pairs videos with downloadable episode guides for daily tasks, clinic visits and common medical issues. A practical way to use it is:.
- pick one daily task, such as dressing or medications
- watch the short video first
- download the episode guide for steps and reminders
- bring the guide to clinic visits with questions noted
What are its limits?
Dementia progresses differently for everyone, so later stages vary. A task that helps one family may need changes for another.
The Sanders-Brown guides note this variation across episodes. The episode guides state the videos provide compassionate support and are not medical advice. Families should review medication changes, hydration problems, weight loss, pain, or new symptoms with their own clinician.
What is the same team studying?
According to NeurologyLive, the same Kentucky team took part in the LiBBY Phase 2 trial. The trial tested an oral 2 mg THC plus 100 mg CBD formulation for agitation in 120 hospice-eligible Alzheimer's and dementia patients over 12 weeks.
Medical Xpress, reporting on Pennington Biomedical, said investigators reported rapid and statistically significant agitation reduction versus placebo. Nearly 90 percent showed overall improvement, with results presented at the 2026 Alzheimer's Association International Conference.