About professional training
The Alzheimer's & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin is committed to helping professionals improve their knowledge and skills, build stronger teams and deliver better care to people with dementia and their families. Our training and education programs are geared to professionals working in communities, community-based and residential care settings. Our programs and meetings have been attended by activity professionals, administrators, nurses, occupational therapists, dieticians, housekeepers, physical therapists, social workers and staff trainers.
Dementia Specialist: Best Practices for Direct Care Staff
Recommended for direct-care staff, the Dementia Specialist Program provides comprehensive training on dementia, its impact on a person’s life, how to effectively communicate and build relationships with people with dementia and give them extraordinary care. The two-day program offers creative and interactive learning with many opportunities for skills application and team building. Training participants will:
- Experience the world from the view of someone with Alzheimer's disease
- Learn real-life practical skills and ways to apply those skills
- Explore problem-solving techniques to assist with challenging behavior
- Receive tips and tools to increase success and make caregiving more satisfying
At the completion of the program, participants will receive a certificate of completion. The Dementia Specialist Training is a collaborative education program of the Alzheimer's & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin and the Greater Wisconsin and Southeastern Wisconsin Chapters of the Alzheimer's Association. It is funded in part by a grant from the Administration on Aging. Contact Sue Zimmer, Training Specialist, at 608.661.0463 or 888.308.6251.
Effective in-services help direct care staff sharpen their skills and improves job satisfaction. Better skills and improved job satisfaction leads to better care and better care is your best marketing tool. Both new and experienced professional caregivers benefit from our workshops by learning best practice approaches, having opportunities to practice specific skills, and learning how to apply those skills on the job.
In-Services: 60-90 minutes
Introduction to Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia: Learn the basics of Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, as well as key information on treatment options.
Stages of Alzheimer's - Tips to Help Throughout the Disease: Learn about the changing needs and approaches to use as Alzheimer's disease progresses.
Positive Communication: Learn the art of communicating to effectively accommodate dementia-related brain changes.
Understanding Behavior Changes: Learn problem-solving steps and best approaches for common changes in behavior.
Person-Centered Care in Late Stage Dementia: Learn the best approaches to provide quality care specific to late stage dementia.
Meaningful Activities: Learn how to use a person's life story to provide simple, effective activities.
Others by request
Workshops: Two to three hour workshops are in-depth, hands-on, and offer the opportunity to practice specific skills
Dementia Basics: Improving communication and understanding behavior: This workshop provides a definition of dementia and its impact on a person's ability to function. Learn vital tools to understand and respond to challenges with communication and behaviors.
Personal Care Success for People with Dementia: Learn to use a person's individual preferences, needs and abilities to most effectively help with common problems in bathing, eating, dressing and toileting. Practice these skills through interactive exercises.
Reducing Pain in People With Dementia: Many people with dementia are unable to communicate their pain. This leads to unnecessary suffering and care challenges. Through real-life scenarios, learn how to recognize, prevent and reduce pain in persons with dementia.
Between the Words: Effective Communication With People With Dementia: In this highly interactive workshop, direct care providers will learn the most effective communication practices, approaches, validation and redirection techniques by first understanding the effects of dementia on the brain.
The Alzheimer’s & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin can also create presentations to fit your specific needs. To schedule a presentation, learn fees, or for more information, contact Sue Zimmer, Training Specialist, at 608.661.0463 or 888.308.62511.
Regional Dementia Education Conference
The Alzheimer's & Dementia Alliance often presents a special conference in the spring for the south central Wisconsin area. You will find more details here when it is available.
Annual State Conference
The 24th Annual State Conference on Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders is taking place May 2-4, 2010 at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells. Confirmed guests include:
- Dr. Ronald Petersen, Mayo Clinic, How Early Can We Diagnose Alzheimer's Disease?
- Dr. John Morris, Washington University, St. Louis, The Future of Alzheimer's Disease: The Promise of Biomarkers for Preventing Dementia
- Panel discussion: Groundbreaking Work in Prevention of Emergency Detentions and Successful Reintegration of Persons with Dementia from Psychiatric Facilities into Long-Term Care Communities
- Dr. Carey Gleason, Year One: The Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center
- James Cook, Alzheimer's disease early stage, I Am One Lucky Guy!
- Elaine Sanchez, caregiver, And For This I Take Vitamins!
The Alzheimer's & Dementia Alliance recommends attending this excellent conference. Our staff (Mary Salzieder, Jody Curley and Rob Gundermann) and our board members (Dr. Kim Petersen and Mary Kay Baum) will be presenting several conference workshops.
There is significant state-wide interest in the Sunday afternoon intensive entitled, "Groundbreaking Work in Prevention of Emergency Detentions and Successful Reintegration of Persons with Dementia from Psychiatric Facilities into Long-Term Care Communities". The Alliance is looking forward to sharing what we've been working on in Dane County regarding the progress being made to keep people with dementia in community placements rather than psychiatric facilities.
For more information, contact Kathy Davies, State Conference Planner, at 715.344.2457 or visit the conference website.