AGE-u-cate Training Institute Blog

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. This year, World Suicide Prevention Day will be observed on September 10.  The following information will help readers understand risk factors and warning signs of suicide in older adults.  

Topics: Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, leadership, Hospital Professionals, Mental Health, AGE-u-cate Training Insitute, Suicide in Older Adults, older adults

Research confirms that by the age of 40, almost 100% of persons with Down syndrome who die have changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD).  Understanding this link and the challenges of a diagnosis of AD in persons with Down syndrome is important for families and healthcare professionals.

Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Training, Family, Care Partners, compassionate touch, Dementia Live, leadership, Alzheimer's disease, Hospital Professionals, families, Downs Syndrome

By Sue Silcox, AGE-u-cate® Training Institute, Australia

Topics: Senior Care Professionals, compassionate touch, Dementia Live, leadership, Australia

Delirium is an acute disorder of attention and global cognition, including perception and memory, and is treatable.  Learning the differences between delirium and dementia is important for professional and family caregivers, as the diagnosis is missed in more than 50% of the cases.

Topics: healthcare, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, dementia, compassionate touch, Dementia Live, Hospital Professionals, family caregivers, professionals, families, AGE-u-cate Training Insitute, older adults, delirium, hospital

We are honored to be a part of the National Pioneer Network Conference kicking off today in beautiful Denver, Colorado.  Ushering in a New Culture of Change promises to be an enlightening and invigorating educational and networking event for participants and those serving the elder care industry.  AGE-u-cate® Training Institute will be offering it's internationally acclaimed Dementia Live® Experience and Compassionate Touch® Program to innovators

Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Senior Care Professionals, aging services, Elders, culture change, Aging in the Workplace, dementia, compassionate touch, Dementia Live, Hospital Professionals, Pioneer Network, elder care, long term care, Work

What exactly is the meaning of Life Enrichment?  

Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, dementia care, The Family Caregiver, Senior Care Professionals, memories, dementia, Hospital Professionals, activities, life enrichment, Person centered care, Joy, Flashback Reminiscence Training

Although persons living dementia may have challenges with eating, such as chewing, ability to taste or smell food, or remembering how to eat, the dining experience can have a tremendous effect on their socialization, how much they eat and if the time they spend eating is enjoyable or frustrating.    Improving the dining experience is certainly possible, whether in a community-based setting, a hospital in the home or even in a restaurant.

Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, dementia, Dementia Live, leadership, Hospital Professionals, Mealtime, Eating, Dining

Stress is simply a part of life.  Think about each and every stressor that affects our lives almost daily.  Here are just a few to think about:  traffic, annoying telemarketing calls (what telemarketing calls aren't annoying?), junk mail, the news, job demands, airline delays (let's just airports in general), and the list goes on.  Life is complicated, stressful and caregiving is even more so on just about every level.  So instead of talking about eliminating stressors, let's talk about how caregivers can put coping skills into practice so that falling into the traps of anxiety, depression and more is eliminated or decreased as much as possible.

Topics: The Faith Community, AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Caregiver, caregivers, Dementia Live, Stress, older adults, Coping Skills

Every fall, teachers ask, “what did you do on your summer vacation?” Summer vacations are a rich tradition for many people. But as our loved one ages, memories of family trips — and the hopes of them continuing — seem to fade. As July turns the page into August, summer’s end appears too soon on the horizon, especially if what used to be your favorite family vacation is no longer do-able. Or is it? How do you vacation with — or do you need a respite from — your loved one with dementia?

Topics: Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, dementia, Family, Faith Community

As a long time family caregiver and professional in this field, I can tell you that the myriad of emotions that caregivers face on a daily basis is complex and ever-changing.  That said, grief, guilt, and anxiety are certainly at the top of the list.   How can we, as professionals in this field, better understand family needs and partner alongside them on this difficult journey?

Topics: Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Senior Care, Family, caregivers, Hospital Professionals, caregiving, family caregivers, professionals, families, Anxiety, AGE-u-cate Training Insitute, Grief