Pathroot Health Expands Care Navigation to Chronic Diseases: Dementia, Diabetes & More
GREENVILLE, SC – February 19, 2026 – Pathroot Health today announced a significant expansion of its care navigation platform, extending its services beyond addiction treatment to encompass support for patients and families navigating chronic diseases including dementia and Alzheimer’s, diabetes, end-stage renal disease (ESRD), pain management, and oncology.
The platform, initially developed to address challenges in addiction recovery, aims to improve engagement and reduce hospital readmissions by providing families with education, structured communication tools, and timely guidance. According to Carolyn Bradfield, CEO of Pathroot Health, the expansion is a response to a critical need for comprehensive support systems for families facing complex, long-term health journeys. “Pathroot began in addiction treatment, where the difference between staying and leaving often comes down to family stress, confusion, and a lack of coordinated next steps,” Bradfield stated. “We built a practical, technology-enabled way to support the home-based circle of care… That same support model is urgently needed to support additional chronic disease care models.”
The expansion comes as research increasingly highlights the interconnectedness of chronic diseases and the significant burden placed on families. A ScienceAlert report from September 2025 detailed the growing evidence linking diabetes to dementia, noting that individuals with diabetes are approximately 60% more likely to develop dementia than those without the condition. Frequent episodes of low blood sugar were also linked to a 50% higher chance of cognitive decline. This underscores the need for proactive management and support, not just for patients, but for their caregivers.
Robert W. Pollack, MD, Chief Medical Advisor to Pathroot Health, emphasized the role of families as de facto care coordinators in chronic disease management. “In conditions like dementia, diabetes, ESRD, and cancer, families are thrust into the role of de facto care coordinators, managing appointments, medications, behavioral changes, and crisis moments, often with no training, no clear roadmap, and no real-time connection to the clinical team,” Pollack said. “The consequences are predictable and costly: caregiver burnout, fragmented care, missed follow-ups, and preventable hospitalizations.”
Pathroot’s platform is designed to address these challenges by equipping families with structured touchpoints, plain-language clinical guidance, and longitudinal navigation, without increasing the workload for clinical teams. The company is actively seeking partnerships with health systems, employers, payers, and care organizations to integrate the platform into existing care models. A meta-analysis published in May 2024, as reported by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, evaluated factors linking diabetes to dementia onset, suggesting a need for preventative guidance for diabetic patients. Pathroot aims to provide that guidance to families.
The Alzheimer’s Society highlights that diabetes is a confirmed risk factor for dementia, and that research shows type 2 diabetes increases a person’s risk of developing dementia. The organization also notes that reducing the risk of diabetes through a healthy diet and regular health checks can be a preventative measure.
Pathroot Health intends to improve adherence to treatment plans, reduce preventable escalations in care, and strengthen trust between patients, families, and healthcare providers by operationalizing family engagement. The company’s long-term strategy focuses on extending this family-activated model to other chronic disease categories where improved caregiver support leads to better patient outcomes.