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Training on Dementia

  • Best practices for dementia care training
    1. Define champion(s) in organizational leadership to:
      • Ensure cause of dementia is supported (financially and ideologically) throughout the organization
      • Consider the needs of people with dementia in organizational decision making at all levels
      • Promote staff and client retention within the organization and reduce organizational risk and costs
    2. Train all employees in dementia care, including non-clinical areas, to support people living with dementia
    3. Essential themes for dementia care and training:
      • Create individual, person-specific plans
      • Change in typical behaviors are attempts to communicate an unmet need
        • What is this person trying to communicate?
        • Do not take personally
        • If no safety risk it is best to just "let it go."
        • Whose problem is it?" If a problem for the person with dementia, then let’s fix it! If a problem for you as a caregiver, then focus on ways to "let it go."
      • Enter into the world of the person with dementia and consider his/her perception of the world.
        • How might that different perception contribute to how he or she is acting?
        • Consider expectations for the person with dementia and remind yourself it is not your agenda.
    4. Interdisciplinary team debriefing of incidents involving people with dementia is critical.
      • Daily or regularly scheduled
      • Allow for open sharing
        • What went well?
        • What did not work well?
        • Open discussion without fear of consequences
      • Document data gathered
        • Use in updating care plans as needed
        • Identify trends and patterns for staff learning
        • Identify opportunities for improving training
    5. Training should be regular and ongoing.
      • Reinforces new habits and changing old habits
      • Ensures training is current, up to date, and evidence based
      • All staff should be included
    6. Measure effectiveness of training.
      • Define how you will measure success/effectiveness
      • Implement measurement methods
      • Review regularly on a predefined schedule
      • Report findings to educators and leaders
    7. Internal staff training options
      • Best method
        • In-person training
        • Allows for interaction and role-play of situations.
      • Other options
        • On-line self-directed training to supplement in-person training

     

    Practice recommendations from the Alzheimer Association

  • Training - Free

    Be part of a global movement that is changing the way people think, act, and talk about dementia to create dementia friendly communities. Become a Dementia Friends Champion and be able to lead your own Dementia Friends information sessions for Dementia Awareness in your community or at your agency.  Contact the ADRC at 608-785-5700 for upcoming sessions or to schedule one for your organization.

    • Dementia Friends WI
    • Dementia Friendly Business or Organization Training  (“Purple Angel Training”)
    • Dementia Friendly Healthcare & Faith Communities
    • Dementia 101: Provided to agency clerical staff, volunteers, or other non-credentialed medical staff to learn about Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, Signs & Symptoms, Communication Strategies and Ways to better serve persons with Dementia
    • Need a speaker for your group or organization?  Topics include brain health, Alzheimer's and other dementia, warning signs, caregiving, dementia friendly communities, youth presentations, when working and caregiving collide, and more.  Presentations are interactive and tailored to your program needs to help your group learn about these subjects important to you and the resources available in the community.

    • Training free in La Crosse County

     

    Dementia Live 

    • A high impact, dementia simulation experience for family, business, church or organization
    • Immerses participants into life with dementia, resulting in a deeper understanding of what it's like to live with cognitive impairment and sensory changes
    • Community Training:  Contact ADRC at 608-785-5700
    • Professional Training:  Contact St. Croix Hospice at 608-433-9704


    Alzheimer Associations Educational Events

    Wisconsin Department of Health Services Training - Dementia

    Online Training for Family Caregivers

    Agefully

    • Free guidance, support and planning for aging issues
    • Feel prepared to help older adults thrive

     

    Alzheimer Associations Care Training Resources

     

    CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) Hand in Hand Training

     

    Milwaukee County Department of Aging 

    Below is a video series providing a dramatization through the eyes of an individual with dementia, along with a facilitator guide.

     

  • Training - Fee Based

    Wisconsin Dementia Care Project Learning Center – UW Oshkosh

    • This training will be instrumental in providing quality dementia care through well-trained, competent caregivers.
    • Upon completing the registration process, it may take up to two business days to receive access to the training.
    • Courses with Final Assessments offer two attempts to pass at 80% or better.
    • Participants will have access to the course for 6 months. Professionals successfully completing the trainings available through UWO CCDET, will be listed on an online public registry.
       

    Dementia Friendly Toolkit

    • Role play simulation for care and community settings
    • Build communication and advocacy skills to respectfully engage individuals with dementia

     

    Hand in Hand Dementia Capable WI

     

    AGE-u-Cate Training Institute

     

    Stop, Starting It!

     

    Teepa Snow

    • Positive approach© to care
    • Online training available with fee

     

    Crisis Prevention

    • Empowering and supporting individuals and organizations to deliver person-centered, dementia capable memory care.
    • Strongly recommended for acute care
    • Fee based
    • Crisis Prevention (CPI)

     

    Dementia Care for America’s Heroes

    • Provides a foundational understanding of dementia care and introduces an innovative model and simple tools to more effectively communicate with and engage dementia patients, modifying care for every stage of the disease.
    • Purchase DVD series
Date Last Updated: 02/28/2024 2:56 pm
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