AGE-u-cate Training Institute Blog

A delightful benefit of being a part of the AGE-u-cate team is being inspired by our clients and seeing the impact of our programs on their business.   

Topics: Dementia Live, Dementia Live®Training, Dementia Care Outreach Education

Last Spring I had the pleasure of connecting with Ellie Webb,  Dementia Care Specialist for the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) of the North in Wisconsin.  That connection led to an in-person visit to train Ellie and 9 other team members from surrounding counties supported by the ADRC of the North to become Dementia Live® Coaches. Apart from the beautiful drive through rural Wisconsin as I made my way to the tip of the state on the coast of Lake Superior, spending time with such passionate people anchored in a similar mission to ignite change for their communities filled by buckets and my soul!  View my full LinkedIn post for more pictures. 

Topics: Dementia Live, Dementia Live®Training, Dementia Care Outreach Education

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

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

There are many definitions of threshold that are worth discussing before we jump to the meat of how it relates to dementia training.  

Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Dementia Live®Training, Direct Care Workforce Training, workforce training, dementia care training, Communication Skills Training, caregiver education, Skill Building

In previous blogs, I've discussed the proven benefits of Dementia Live® as a powerful and effective experiential foundational training experience.

Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Dementia Live®Training, leadership, Professional Caregivers, dementia care training, Communication Skills Training, staffing

To elevate dementia care practices, care partners must first understand dementia and how persons with dementia feel challenged with cognitive and sensory changes. Dementia Live® simulates cognitive and sensory impairment, giving participants first-hand experience living with dementia. 

Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Dementia Live®Training, leadership, Quality of Life Training, dementia care training, Dementia simulation, Communication Skills Training, Skill Building

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. 

Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Dementia Live, Dementia Live®Training, leadership, dementia education, Dementia Awareness, dementia care training, Dementia simulation

Dementia training is serious business. As we grapple with the exponential growth of people living with dementia, aging services providers are looking closely at programs that will improve outcomes for their residents, clients, staff, families and support business goals.

The AGE-u-cate team has been hard at work since the launch of Dementia Live® in 2015 to deliver a program that meets the complex needs across the spectrum of aging services to serve better those living with dementia and their care partners.

Proven.
 
Integrated by over 800 organizations and agencies in the United States, Canada, and Australia, Dementia Live® has a robust value in the aging services industry. This evidence-informed training program is guided by science-based experiential learning and microlearning strategies. Placing the learner directly in touch with the realities of living with dementia, they gain more profound levels of understanding and knowledge and receive practical skill-building tools and techniques that effectively improve care and quality of life for care partners.

Powerful.

Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Dementia Live®Training, leadership, dementia education, dementia care training, Dementia simulation

Learning by doing is not a new concept. Educators have long pointed to the exponentially powerful effects of this education model. American psychologist, professor and educational theorist David Kolb published his learning styles model in 1984, from which he developed his learning style inventory.

Topics: Dementia Live®Training, Dementia simulation, experiential training, Skill Building