II was so grateful for having the opportunity to sit in on the recent ActivitiesStrong Summit hosted by Linked Senior, Activity Connection, NAAP, and NCAAP. This yearly event aims to acknowledge, educate and empower activity and life enrichment professionals and celebrate the longest day in honor of everyone living with cognitive change to honor the professionals who serve older adults in senior living.
Pam Brandon
Recent Posts
Social Prescribing: The Framework to Improve Health and Well-Being
Dementia Training: Simulation Training for Nursing Students
What is a Dementia Simulation?
Dementia simulation allows students to walk in the shoes of those with dementia- to experience the world as they experience it. We explain Dementia Live® as the 'Inside-Out' experience, allowing participants to take that deep dive into understanding what it might be like to live with the extraordinary physical and emotional challenges accompanying cognitive change.
Topics: Dementia simulation
Lonely is not Being Alone. It's the Feeling that no one Cares.
Sometimes we all need to be reminded of how our little part in helping a world in need can change our thinking.
Topics: Communication Skills Training, Loneliness and Isolation
In the world of options for quality life engagement programming, seeking activities that decrease staff direction serves many purposes:
Topics: resident-directed activity, dementia-friendly reading, life-engagement activity
That latest research from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving is alarming. The US had 43.5 million unpaid caregivers in 2015. By 2020, that number soared to 53 million. Nearly one in five or 19% provide unpaid care to an adult with health or functional needs.
Topics: Dementia Live®Training, Dementia simulation, Communication Skills Training, Dementia Care Outreach Education, Family Caregiver Education
How Online Learning can Support Experiential Training
In my last blog post, I shared a recent poll we had conducted that asked what type of training is most effective for aging service providers. Experiential training was the clear leader, followed by peer-to-peer mentoring. Online learning came in last. We need to change our thinking about online learning!
Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Dementia Live®Training, workforce training, Communication Skills Training, Online Learning
What Type of Training Most Supports Skill Building?
The team here at AGE-u-cate recently ran a poll on this very question. Of the following options, including online learning, experiential training, peer-to-peer mentoring, and "other". The clear winner was experiential training, coming in at 77%, followed by peer-to-peer mentoring at 23%.
Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Dementia Live Training, dementia care training, Communication Skills Training, experiential training
How and Why Impactful Bridge Building with Family Caregivers Opens Doors
Caregivers are one of the most unheard and underserved groups in our society. Growing at exponential rates, they struggle with isolation, loneliness, and adverse health consequences at a much higher rate than the general population.
Topics: The Faith Community, AGE-u-cate Training Institute, The Family Caregiver, Dementia friendly community, Leader Support, Dementia Care Outreach Education
The Exponential Effects of Kindness, Empathy, and Understanding
For as many challenges as we've faced in the past few years, I see a movement stirring around the kindness, empathy, and understanding that I see turning the tides of many organizations' value sets.
Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Leader Support, Mission, Vison, Values, Senior Care Leadership
Do the RIGHT Thing for the RIGHT Reason. It's an Inside-Out Thing
I use the term "inside-out" a lot. Maybe too much, but it goes back to my early parenting days when I'd tell my kids that beauty starts on the inside. Then it moved to creativity, integrity, happiness, and so on. I think they got the picture.
Topics: person-centered culture, AGE-u-cate Training Instiute, Mission, Vision, Values, Senior Care Leadership