In dementia simulation programming, there's a lot to say about what makes Dementia Live stand out. Since its launch in 2015, the team here at AGE-u-cate® has spent more time listening to our client partner's needs than talking. The result?
A program that is indeed what our tag line says: Proven. Powerful. Effective. Tag lines can get wordy, so we'll discuss another significant benefit:
Dementia Live is incredibly flexible.
As empathy and skill-building training, Dementia Live brings together a transformational experience, care partners empowerment session, and practical tools to professionals and families across the aging care spectrum. The team at AGE-u-cate believes that EVERYONE needs to better understand dementia.
We are at the crossroads of unprecedented growth in our aging population, which will continue to affect every aspect of our society. Therefore, aging and dementia education is necessary for breaking the cycle of ageism and exclusion for persons living with cognitive changes. Our provider partners are key catalysts to offer this critical dementia awareness experience and education to the world.
Dementia Live coaches receive organized, easy to deliver training which allows them (provider organizations) to take the Dementia Live program beyond the walls of their own organization. We provide the tools and resources to adapt to ever-changing circumstances, such as a virtual version of the Experience developed in response to the COVID pandemic. This Virtual Dementia Live Experience allowed providers to continue to use the program as an outreach education tool while social distancing restrictions were in place. Here's what The Alzheimer and Parkinson Association of IRC had to say about AGE-u-cate's pivot to a Virtual Experience during Covid.
Dementia Friendly Fort Worth trained over 200 first responders in 2021, adapting the program to a classroom environment so that the Experience and Empowerment sessions could successfully integrate within the needed group setting. Here's a few of the many positive comments from participants:
"Great class, and I enjoyed the interactive scenarios and dementia "experience. This was so close to home due to dealing with family members having dementia."
"This was one of the most organized and prepared classes we have had . . . I thought there was a perfect balance between staying optimistic and then understanding the severity of the subject."
AGE-u-cate's licensed providers include senior living communities, home care, hospice agencies, Area Agencies on Aging, community-based organizations, universities, and colleges. Flexibility and ease of use consistently rate as attributes of high importance by our partners.
Anne Arendul County Department of Aging and Disability Services uses Dementia Live to teach middle and high school students. In addition, they, along with many of our Area Agencies on Aging, feel the vital family education component of Dementia Live contributes to lower rates of elder abuse. When families are caring for loved ones with dementia, the importance of gaining empathy, understanding, and practical skills cannot be underestimated.
Flexibility allows trained coaches to use Dementia Live in a variety of settings to meet participants' needs, whether that is in its original setting, a classroom environment, or virtually. Our partners are able to add on many other teaching components that they use as part of their own training. For instance, the Arbor Company uses the Dementia Live Experience multiple time with staff to teach specific skill building by adding certain elements to the Experience that relate to that team's specific work within the community. It was their use of huddle guides to enhance the Dementia Live training that helped us to add this as a support tool as part of the Dementia Live program.
Our providers are valued partners in fulfilling a shared mission to bring widespread awareness and education through the use of the Dementia Live program. By allowing them the flexibility and tools in which to carry out Dementia Live in a number of different settings, more people are able to receive the extraordinary and widespread benefits that this program offers in building empathy, understanding, awareness and skill building.
We invite you to see for yourself how Dementia Live's flexibility will benefit your organization!
