How Case Studies Prove the ROI of Experiential Dementia Training
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In senior care, we often talk about empathy. About walking in someone else’s shoes. About trying to understand the lived experience of those we serve. But how do you train for that? How do you move beyond information and into transformation?
At Age-u-cate, we’ve found that when you invite people to feel what it’s like to live with dementia, they change — fast. Not in theory. In action. We’ve seen it across hundreds of organizations, but nothing speaks louder than the real-world stories of providers who made the leap from traditional training to immersive experiences. And when they did, everything changed.
Let’s explore two such stories — Teresian House and Liberty Senior Living — and how experiential dementia training delivered a clear return on investment.
Teresian House: Turning Empathy Into Everyday Action
For decades, Teresian House Center for the Elderly in Albany, New York, has been a beacon of Catholic health care, providing compassionate services rooted in faith. But like many care communities, they faced growing challenges.
They were seeing a rise in resident falls. Families voiced concerns that staff didn’t fully understand how to relate to those living with dementia. Despite having offered dementia training for years, something was missing.
That “something” turned out to be experiential learning.
So just after Thanksgiving in 2022, Teresian House hosted a house-wide kickoff of the Dementia Live® program. Two experience rooms were set up. Staff from every department — nursing, housekeeping, activities, and more — were invited to participate. The training didn’t just inform. It immersed.
167 staff members completed the training. The reactions were unanimous. Team members walked away changed. They no longer saw dementia as a set of symptoms. They saw it as a lived human experience that demanded a different kind of care.
And the community noticed. A local news station covered the event. A family member who saw the coverage donated $3,500 to support more programming. And the best part — the results didn’t stop there.
- Dementia Live was added to general orientation for every new employee.
- It became part of the Dementia Family Support Group offerings.
- Resident safety improved as staff made more empathetic care decisions.
- Relationships with families deepened.
- The organization reached its grant-funded training goals without pulling staff off the floor for long sessions.
As Kelli Hawver, Director of Activities at Teresian House, put it:
“Dementia Live has been a game-changer. All of the content in the world can’t compare to the impact Dementia Live has on a person’s understanding of and response to someone living with dementia.”
Liberty Senior Living: Scaling Empathy Across a System
Down in the Southeast, Liberty Senior Living has taken a similarly bold approach. With communities spread across multiple states, they needed a training solution that could scale across sites without sacrificing quality.
They adopted Dementia Live not just as a one-time experience, but as part of a cultural commitment. By embedding immersive empathy into their staff development process, Liberty saw measurable shifts.
- Empathy increased as caregivers built stronger, more compassionate connections with residents.
- Team member confidence increased through what they describe as a life-changing training.
- Trust in leadership grew, both from inside and outside the organization.
In an industry where staffing is tight and time is short, Liberty found that the right kind of training — fast, powerful, emotional — could build a culture of care that lasts.
Haley Kinne-Norris with Liberty Senior Living shared:
“This is a life-changing opportunity for our staff, as they get to truly see what someone with dementia may go through on a regular basis. Through completing various tasks, we as a group, are able to distinguish behaviors and expressions that help us to better provide for our residents through understanding them a bit more.”
Why It Works: The Tangible ROI of Experience
Traditional training tends to focus on what to do. Dementia Live goes a step further by showing people why it matters.
It’s not just theory. It’s science. The brain remembers how it feels. That’s what makes the Dementia Live experience stick — and that’s what drives real results.
- Lower staff turnover by creating more meaning in their work
- Improved quality of care by enhancing awareness and anticipation
- Stronger family engagement through empathy-driven communication
- Increased community trust and visibility through innovation
- Alignment with census goals — without overextending resources
In today’s care environment, where every minute matters, providers need training that delivers fast, lasting impact. That’s why organizations like Teresian House and Liberty Senior Living continue to invest in experiential learning. It changes hearts. It strengthens teams. And it improves lives — including the lives of those living with dementia.
See for Yourself
Want to understand why so many providers are making the shift to experiential dementia education? Start with the updated Dementia Live® Demo Video. It’s short. It’s powerful. And it might just change the way you see dementia care.
Learn more about how Dementia Live is transforming training across senior care at ageucate.com.
