This study was designed as part of a larger mixed-methods research study that included including implementation and observational research components. The design and methods were based on the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration and Aging (CCNA) Team 19 protocol Assessing care models implemented in primary health care for persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders (Bergman & Vedel), more commonly known as the Research on Organization of Healthcare Services for Alzheimer's (ROSA) Study. Recognizing that GAIN Teams have historically been assessing and diagnosing individuals with dementia (often at the request of primary care providers), the present research was designed as an extension study to the ROSA Study.

The overall objective of the ROSA-LHIN Extension Study was to assess and compare collaborative care models (collCM) of dementia care services between primary care and specialist geriatric care (i.e. GAIN) sites in the Central East Region, to identify key factors for quality of care and successful implementation.