This systematic overview summarizes the published literature reflecting the effectiveness of services or models of care for persons with dementia living in their homes, in specialized institutional care or assisted living centres/congregate homes. A detailed search for literature found studies evaluating respite care, day programs, counselling, congregate living, and special care units in institutions and there is some evidence of the effectiveness of these programs. No scientifically rigorous effectiveness studies, specific for persons with dementia, were found for hospice care, case management or psychogeriatric outreach mental health programs. First and foremost, more research is needed that examines the effectiveness of different programs for specific persons and their caregivers with different characteristics and the measurement of family expenditures as well as costs of programs