Nurse Practitioner - Dementia or Geriatric Specialty

Kitwood Health•The Woodlands, TX

About The Position

Kitwood Health is a specialized cognition-focused medical practice addressing the massive gap in dementia diagnosis and care. About 20 million seniors are living with Alzheimer’s, Other Dementias or Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), yet only 6 million have a diagnosis and only 3% of those have a care plan and are receiving adequate support. Even when primary care physicians and specialists want to focus on cognitive health and close this gap, they lack the time, staffing and specialized training to effectively manage cognitive diagnosis and care for such a large number of patients. Kitwood Health comes alongside these doctors to co-manage patients with suspected cognitive concerns or MCI/dementia diagnoses. The Kitwood Health clinicians and care coordinators handle the cognitive care workload on behalf of its partner practices, guiding patients through the cognitive evaluation, diagnosis, care planning, and ongoing support process. Kitwood Health is seeking a Nurse Practitioner (NP) to provide comprehensive, patient-centered care to older adults with cognitive impairment ranging from MCI to advanced dementia. This role emphasizes early detection, accurate diagnosis, longitudinal disease management, symptom control, caregiver support, and coordination of care across medical, behavioral, and social domains. The Kitwood NP practices autonomously while collaborating closely with partner practices and interdisciplinary teams to optimize quality of life, functional ability, and safety for patients and care partners.

Requirements

Master's (MSN) in Nursing.
Active, unencumbered RN & APRN licensure in the state.
2-3+ years in neurology, dementia, gerontology or geriatric care.
Active credentials with major insurance payers throughout Texas.
Strong communication skills tailored to cognitively impaired patients and families
Expertise in caregiver engagement and education
Comfort with longitudinal care and end-of-life discussions
Experience with telehealth, integrated care models, and managing complex cases.

Nice To Haves

Certification (e.g., PMHNP, GS-C, A-GNP or similar) is often preferred.

Responsibilities

Cognitive Assessment & Diagnosis Conduct comprehensive cognitive evaluations, including history-taking, cognitive screening, and functional assessments.
Order and interpret diagnostic tests (labs, imaging, neuropsychological testing) as appropriate.
Communicate diagnoses clearly and compassionately to patients and families, adjusting communication strategies based on disease stage.
Ongoing Cognition Medical & Symptom Management Develop, implement, and monitor individualized, evidence-based cognitive care plans across all stages of decline.
Assess and manage behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, including agitation, anxiety, depression, psychosis, wandering, and sleep disturbances.
Prioritize non-pharmacologic interventions and environmental modifications.
Collaborate with care partners and care teams to implement behavior management strategies.
Functional & Safety Assessment Evaluate activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental ADLs, mobility, and fall risk.
Assess home safety, driving ability, medication management capacity, and risk of abuse or neglect.
Recommend supportive services, assistive devices, and environmental modifications to enhance safety and independence.
Care Coordination & Collaboration Coordinate care across primary care, neurology, psychiatry, social work, therapy services, and community resources.
Facilitate referrals to memory clinics, home health, adult day programs, palliative care, and hospice when appropriate.
Serve as a clinical escalation point for the care team.
Care Partner Education & Support Educate caregivers and other family members on disease progression, symptom management, and realistic expectations at each stage.
Provide guidance on communication strategies, behavioral approaches, and stress management.
Assess caregiver burden and connect families to respite care, support groups, and community resources.
Support caregivers in crisis situations and during care transitions.
Future Preparedness & Advance Care Planning Collaborates with care partners to create proactive crisis plans that anticipate acute situations and reduce escalation, care intensity, and avoidable emergency interventions.
Lead advance care planning discussions, including goals of care, advance directives, POLST forms, and surrogate decision-making.
Recommend financial or elder law services as needed to assist with financial and estate planning.
Guide transitions to palliative and end-of-life care when appropriate, emphasizing comfort and dignity.