The Art of Being an Effective Dementia Care Detective

Posted by Pam Brandon on Aug 18, 2017 7:36:34 AM

Responding to challenging behavior for people living with dementia is often the greatest triggers of stress,  helplessness and frustration for professional and family caregivers.  Learning to be an effective dementia care detective incorporates knowledge of behavioral expression and having effective tools to respond, reassure and comfort.

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Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, dementia care, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, dementia, Care Partners, compassionate touch, Dementia Live, leadership, Caregiver Training, Dementia Detective, Family Education, Dementia Live Training, Behavioral Expression

"The Future Ain't What it Used to Be" - Yogi Berra was Right!

Posted by Pam Brandon on Aug 11, 2017 9:09:30 AM

Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra was an American professional baseball catcher, manager, and coach who played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball.  One of his famous quotes "The Future Ain't What it Used to Be" couldn't be more appropriate as we look at the paradigm shifts taking place in our aging world.

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Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Senior Care Professionals, Aging in the Workplace, leadership, Hospital Professionals, aging, children, health

How Five Minutes a Day Can Transform Care for Older Adults

Posted by Pam Brandon on Aug 8, 2017 7:21:50 AM

Time is precious.  Staff is in short supply.  Family caregivers are stretched to the limit.  Just taking care of the basic needs  is hard enough, so five minutes a day seems - IMPOSSIBLE!

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Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Person-centered, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Senior Care, Family, compassionate touch, Dementia Live, leadership, Hospital Professionals, education, older adults, staff, communication, touch

The "Helper's High"... Why Volunteering is Good for Your Health

Posted by Pam Brandon on Aug 1, 2017 5:14:23 PM

Research has shown that volunteering leads to better health and that older volunteers are the most likely to receive physical and mental health benefits from their volunteer activities.  Volunteering often leads to what is referred to as a "helper's high".

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Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, The Family Caregiver, Senior Care Professionals, Faith Community, Area Agencies on Aging, N4A Conference, N4A, wellness, volunteering, boomers

What's all the Talk about Mindfulness for Caregivers?

Posted by Pam Brandon on Jul 28, 2017 10:39:51 AM

Call it awareness, attention, focus, presence, or vigilance. It's proving to be a powerful and effective practice in coping with stress.  Caregiving can easily top the charts on stress, especially for caregivers of elders with chronic illness and dementia.  Mindfulness for caregivers means learning to live in the moment, accept the reality of a situation, and filter out distractions.

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Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Caregiver, compassionate touch, Dementia Live, Centering, Stress, families, Mindfulness

Caregiver Martyr Syndrome - What to Look For and How to Help

Posted by Pam Brandon on Jul 25, 2017 1:16:15 PM

Caregivers of older adults are some of the most selfless, committed people on the planet.   Simply put, not everyone is cut out to be a caregiver.  The problem lies in the fact that some caregivers believe they are the only ones who can care properly for their family member.  This is often referred to as Caregiver Martyr Syndrome.

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Topics: The Faith Community, AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, dementia, caregiver martyr syndrome, Faith Community

Empathy Training for Dementia Care - A Strong Foundation Tool

Posted by Pam Brandon on Jul 21, 2017 1:04:59 PM

Neurological research substantiates that human beings appear to be "wired" to be empathetic.  In other words, we all have an innate ability to be empathetic.   Would empathy training in dementia care  provide a strong foundation tool for front line staff to help improve the quality of life for those living with dementia?

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Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, dementia care, Senior Care Professionals, Dementia Live, leadership, Empathy Training

Back to Basics in Dementia Care - Are We Making it too Complicated?

Posted by Pam Brandon on Jul 14, 2017 3:09:27 PM

The number of older adults with dementia is forecast to more than double in the next 40 years.  Training people to care for these individuals - both professionals and families is paramount in improving the quality of life for the caregiver as well as the care receiver.  Is it time to get back to basics in our approach to education and training?

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Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, dementia care, Senior Care Professionals, compassionate touch, Dementia Live, leadership

Caregiver Burnout: What to Look for and How to Help

Posted by Pam Brandon on Jul 11, 2017 7:42:20 AM

Losing sleep, poor eating habits, irritability or short tempered - these symptoms may start small and snowball quickly into what is referred to as caregiver burnout.   Professionals and families need to know what to look for and how to help caregivers.  It's a serious matter and growing, as more families are caring for their loved ones at home with little or no help.

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Topics: The Faith Community, AGE-u-cate Training Institute, dementia care, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Senior Care, Dementia Live, Hospital Professionals, Stress, Burnout, Alzheimer's Association, elder care, education, resources, dementia training, Area Agencies on Aging

The World needs more AGE-u-caters! Are you one of them?

Posted by Pam Brandon on Jun 20, 2017 12:50:48 PM

The rapid pace of our aging world is changing the face of every facet of our society from health and long term care, to faith communities and business establishments.  Across the spectrum, issues such as these are at the forefront of leadership discussions:

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Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Senior Care Professionals, Family Caregiver, Aging in the Workplace, compassionate touch, Dementia Live, Professional Caregiver, Hospital Professionals, Faith Community, Age friendly business, elder care, long term care, Dementia friendly hospital

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