long-term care professionals need dementia-specific training to meet growing demand alzheimer’s foundation of america answers call with new training dvd
Currently, there are more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses and that number is expected to nearly triple by mid-century. In line with this spike, the demand for long-term care will rise. Many long term-care and assisted living facilities offer dedicated programs for individuals living with dementia that are designed to improve their quality of life. As the incidence of this devastating disease continues to grow, an ongoing understanding of dementia care is essential to today’s and future long-term care professionals. The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) comprehensive six-hour training DVD, “AFA Partners in Care: Supporting Individuals Living with Dementia,” aims to assist long-term care and assisted living professionals gain dementia-specific skills and strategies that can help to improve the quality of life for the people in their care.
The program takes a person-centered approach to dementia care and also provides self-care strategies for caregivers and care professionals, helping them reduce the risk of burnout and better manage stressors that are inherent to this work.
“The demand for long-term care is expected to increase exponentially as the number of Americans reaching the at-risk age for Alzheimer’s disease continues to rise in the coming decades. This means that long-term care professionals across the nation will need ongoing training in dementia-care,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.
“Our latest training program is a necessary and reusable training tool for long-term and assisted living care settings.”
The video features appearances by notable dementia care experts, including James Galvin, M.D., M.P.H., associate professor for clinical research and professor in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University, and medical director of the Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center and professor at the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing; Mark Lachs, M.D., professor of medicine and co-chief of the division of geriatrics and gerontology at Weill Cornell Medical College; Richard Powers, M.D., a geriatric psychologist and neuropathologist and member of AFA’s medical and scientific advisory board; and dementia care consultant and educator Teepa Snow, M.S. O.T.R./L., F.A.O.T.A. In addition, individuals living with dementia, their families and including direct care workers provide personal perspectives and insights.
The “AFA Partners in Care: Supporting Individuals Living with Dementia” training program is available for purchase at www.careprofessionals.org. For pricing and additional information, contact Molly Fogel at 866-232-8484 or by e-mail at mfogel@alzfdn.org.
About Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA)
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America is a non-profit founded to fill the gap that existed on a national level assuring quality of care and excellence in service to individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and related illnesses, and to their caregivers and families. AFA unites more than 2,400 member organizations from coast-to-coast that are dedicated to meeting the educational, social, emotional and practical needs of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and their families. Under AFA’s umbrella, these organizations collaborate on education, resources, best practices and advocacy —all resulting in better care for people affected by the disease. AFA’s services include a national, toll-free helpline staffed by licensed social workers, educational materials, professional training, community outreach, free quarterly caregiver magazine, research funding, public advocacy and programmatic services. For more information about AFA, call toll-free 866-232-8484, visit www.alzfdn.org, follow us on Twitter, or connect with us on Facebook.
