Dementia Care Training

Developed for those who care for residents with cognitive impairment,
including different forms of dementia and Alzheimer’s, this training program educates participants about the diseases that cause memory impairment and how to best care for residents who suffer from dementia.


Dementia Care Challenges

Overcoming Challenges

Caring for the memory-impaired presents special challenges that require ongoing training. To provide quality care, staff needs to understand the residents’ unique situations, background, and disease process. High staff turnover rates cost thousands of dollars, and non-continuous care makes life stressful and difficult for residents. In addition, training new staff costs valuable time and money. Inter-staff teamwork, strategy, and communication must also be developed and implemented to effectively overcome challenges.

Lasting Benefits

Investing in and retaining staff is a worthy investment for both the residents, who will benefit from stable sequential care, and staff, who will no longer experience compassion fatigue and have reduced frustration from resident behaviors. The Dementia Care Program will help your facility develop effective strategies that will save tim. Residents are happier and more cooperative, and staff has less involuntary overtime. The Dementia Care Program will also help staff understand memory impairment diseases and empathize with residents.

Benefits Dementia Care Training

Our Dementia Care Program

Philosophy

We at the Avila Institute of Gerontology believe that people in all stages of life deserve to be cared for in their entirety - Spirit, Soul, and Body. With this philosophy, our expert staff who bring years of academic expertise and compassionate hands-on care to the table look forward to bringing our Dementia Care Training Program to your facility. Invest in your employees. The residents in your home will, in turn, experience greater satisfaction in their lives.

Dementia Care Philosophy
Dementia Care Training Teamwork

Staff Training

With our program, our faculty use a teamwork approach to solve example problems throughout the curriculum. A variety of exercises and interaction keeps participants engaged. Caregivers are encouraged to think out of the box and given tools to expand their empathy and knowledge of the disease process. After completing the program, your staff will leave understanding how dementia affects the resident and how to work as a team to reach solutions

Continued Support

After the program, it is encouraged that facilities are able to continue staff training on their own and we are available for support for future questions regarding specific situations that may arise.

Dementia Care Training Continued Support

Dementia Care Program Curriculum

Our comprehensive, up-to-date dementia care training program includes content required by The Centers for Medicare Services (CMS).   The program can also be customized to meet your state's requirements.

Click the topic title for a module description.

Module 1: Overview of Dementia

This module presents facts about dementia and other related conditions such as Mild Cognitive Impairment. It further distinguishes between dementias and pseudodementias, such as delirium and depression, to help caregivers understand and recognize what those they care for may be suffering. Different types of dementia are also discussed to help caregivers recognize symptoms and provide care appropriately.

Module 2: Stages of Dementia and Effective Communication

While maintaining that each individual progresses differently, this module gives an overview of the different stages of dementia. It aims to help caregivers understand how best to respond and effectively communicate at each stage to help maintain independence carrying out activities of daily living for as long as possible. The Global Deterioration Scale and Folstein Mini Mental State Examination are some tools that are discussed to determine a resident’s stage of dementia. This session emphasizes that at all stages, the inherent dignity of each person should be honored.

Module 3: Effective Communication and Behavior

Communicating effectively with residents who have dementia requires taking basic communication skills to a new level. Examining lifelong personality traits, the disease process, and the resident’s environment can help manage a caregiver’s expectations of how much and what to expect. This module gives a method for analyzing unmet needs and gives possible solutions that encourage creativity in addressing problems. It gives tools in examining reasons behind repetitive or aggressive behavior, with an emphasis on encouraging positive behavior. Understanding the reasons for resident behaviors helps the caregiver enter the reality of the person with dementia. This assists caregivers in understanding how to best help them and avoid frustration on a day-to-day basis.

Module 4: Philosophy of Person-Centered Dementia Care and Activities of Daily Living

This module uses the Carmelite philosophy that includes the values of  shared commitment, hospitality, compassion, and sanctity of life as the basis of dementia care. It addresses the individuality of each person and how person-centered care and knowledge of each resident can result in higher levels of function for longer periods of time. Participants learn how to carry out the daily rituals of eating, grooming, bathing, toileting and dressing in a way that bonds a caregiver and patient, increases satisfaction, and establishes mutual respect.

Module 5: Palliative Care: Providing Comfort Care

Participants learn to understand the five areas of pain so that they may be addressed and remedied. Palliative care involves family and begins as soon as a resident walks into the facility. Caregivers receive outside resources to educate themselves on how to provide comfort in times of suffering, and pain is explored with the goal of understanding. There is a deeper look at spiritual pain and role spirituality and religion play and what resources can be made available. 

Module 6: Family Concerns and Caring for the Caregiver

This module asks participants to consider the needs of both families and themselves.  There are guidelines to help cope with dementia in a loved one.  In addition, caregivers are encouraged to identify their unique gifts and talents and to care for themselves to avoid compassion burnout. The session ends with a group relaxation exercise—an effective strategy for family and caregiver alike. 

Post-Test/Certificate of Completion

Time will be reserved for students to take a post-test. A score of 70% or higher on the post-test will earn a student a certificate of completion.

Please note, a Certificate of Completion attests to the knowledge of the material tested; however, it does not license or qualify mastery of application of material.

Our Dementia Care Training Program Includes:

  • In-person or virtual training for unlimited participants hosted by your organization
  • 7-10 hours of training based on the needs of your organization
  • Class materials to teach program (PowerPoint presentations and student manual in PDF format)
  • Available for future support via telephone and email

Book Our Dementia Care Training Program

Contact us to learn more about our dementia care training program and to book us at your organization.

Call us at 518-537-5000 or email us at support@avilainstitute.org or use the Contact Form below.