AGE-u-cate Training Institute Blog

Topics: The Faith Community, Senior Care Professionals, Aging in the Workplace, Training, dementia, Public Health, Leaders, alzheimer's

How do you create a senior care community that truly enhances the lives of their residents?  By doing the right things for the right reasons.  Vitality, joy and celebrating the excitement of living was exactly what I felt from the time I entered the doors of Cherrywood Village Retirement Community in Portland, OR last week.

Topics: The Faith Community, The Family Caregiver, Senior Care Professionals, Senior Care, dementia, Person centered care

At least that's what they say here in Texas, when it's 80 degrees one day, and hitting the freezing mark the same night.  We've barely had a winter to speak of this year, so my recent trip to experience the Boston blizzard was an adventure and a treat.  So what does the weather have to do with aging and dementia you ask?

Topics: The Faith Community, The Family Caregiver, Senior Care Professionals, Memory Care, Senior Care, Aging in the Workplace, dementia, Person centered care, weather changes, person-centered thinking

Welcome to the world of healthcare! Having just moved to a state with a very large senior population, many of whom have mild to moderate dementia, my story of navigating the healthcare maze should make us all sit up and ask ourselves how our seniors, especially those with dementia, can traverse this insanity.   Here is my story:

Topics: Senior Care Professionals, Elders, Healthcare Maze, MCI, dementia

As we all know society is aging... fast.  Aging people travel- more than ever, as do aging people who are living with dementia.  Airlines listen up - this trend is not going to slow down.  The question is, how are you going to better serve your aging customers and improve the flying experience for all of your passengers?

Topics: The Family Caregiver, Senior Care Professionals, Airlines, Aging in the Workplace, Training, dementia, Customer Service

Senior Care

Thank you to Pioneer Network for allowing us to share these thoughts..

Houston, We Have a Problem
Ruta Kadonoff
Executive Director, Pioneer Network

Is it just me, or are there red flags everywhere lately, calling on us to take notice of the impending collision between our demographics and our workforce trends? Evidence is mounting and the chorus of voices is growing, begging us to recognize that we are on the brink of true crisis. I see many parallels between this issue and the climate change discussion. Whatever your personal convictions about possible causes and potential solutions to either, the data seem to be increasingly clear and screaming ever-louder, 'Houston, we have a problem.'

I'd like to share a few quotes that have been rattling around in my head over recent days and weeks ...

"We're never going to attract a workforce unless they are going to get paid a livable wage, or at least a somewhat livable wage, and benefits."
- Betsy Sawyer-Manter, Executive Director, SeniorsPlus, quoted in Sun Journal (Lewiston, ME)

Topics: dementia care, Senior Care Professionals, Senior Care, dementia

Most of us don’t give much thought to items we use in our everyday lives. But the memories of these seemingly benign objects reconnect us with moments of meaning in our lives.

Topics: dementia care, Senior Care Professionals, Memory Care, memories, dementia

Sustainability in training programs that improve patient and resident outcomes is critically important. Upper and middle managment must embrace change initiatives in order to successfully compete in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

Topics: dementia care, Senior Care Professionals, dementia, eldercare, sustainability

Let’s imagine that you have dementia. What would you miss? What would you forget about that you enjoy? We all forget the details of our lives and often take the little things we enjoy for granted. People living with dementia can rarely seek out enjoyable activities independently and often even forget what used to bring them pleasure. That is unless memory is triggered. Knowing that, how might you activate pleasure linked to past experiences?

Topics: dementia care, Senior Care Professionals, dementia

The senior care work force of tomorrow should be at the top of discussion topics for eldercare leaders. Investing in development and retention of great workers, along with competitive wages and benefits is vital.  Many areas of the country are already facing critical shortages in front line staff and this trend will no doubt spread quickly as baby boomers need increasing aging services.

Topics: Senior Care Professionals, Senior Care, care staff, dementia