Education
Learn more about our course offerings and select the workshop that meets your needs.
Dementia Live
Dementia Live® is a high impact, dementia simulation experience that immerses participants into life with dementia, resulting in a deeper understanding of what it’s like to live with cognitive impairment and sensory change.
Understanding Dementia & the Changing Brain
This session is designed to help care partners and individuals understand the brain changes of someone living with Dementia. Navigating the affected areas of the brain leads to a better understanding of retained abilities as well as awareness of what is lost so caregivers can better adjust to provide the necessary support.
Normal Aging vs. Not Normal Aging
This workshop helps learners understand and recognize the differences in normal and not normal aging of the brain. The learner will develop better observational skills to recognize and intervene effectively when behavioral challenges occur. Learners will also develop new skills related to approach, cueing, and the ability to connect with people affected by dementia. The workshop will also address typical changes that happen in the early, middle, and late stages of the condition including the final care concerns.
Hand Under Hand & Positive Physical Approach
This workshop helps learners understand how to adapt how we interact when the other person’s brain is changing. This workshop will include explanations of how the brain is changing when someone is living with dementia and what care partners can do to be supportive. Learners will practice the use of Positive Physical Approach™(PPA) and Hand-under-Hand®, developed by Teepa Snow. Both techniques are based in building relationships and doing with people instead of to people.
GEMS®
This workshop helps learners understand the GEMS® Model developed by Teepa Snow. This model is based on the Allen cognitive scale and focuses on what is retained for people living with dementia instead of only focusing on what is lost. In identifying retained skills and abilities, learners will be able to provide the right level of support and assistance in care with people in different ability states. By understanding GEMS States, we can learn to provide the best care and setting so that everyone can shine.
6 Pieces of the Puzzle
This session is designed to help care partners better understand why the person they are trying to help may at times exhibit ‘challenging behaviors.’ It will focus on looking beyond the disease to recognize other possible factors that may be causing or contributing to the challenges. Care partners will be introduced to the ‘six pieces of the puzzle’ that may be used to help determine these contributing factors. This problem-solving approach will be presented to help learners reduce the intensity, frequency, or occurrence of challenges. This session will also help learners develop better communication skills when working with people living with dementia by emphasizing the value of empathetic and supportive communication. The overall goal of the session is to reduce or minimize unproductive conversations and resistive behaviors by using effective verbal and physical skills.