AGE-u-cate Training Institute Blog

The increasing diversity of the U.S. and other nations offers opportunities and challenges for senior care  care providers, health care systems, and policy makers to create and deliver services to culturally diverse patients and to train and increasingly culturally diverse workforce. Cultural competence refers to an ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures. Cultural competence comprises four components: (a) awareness of one's own cultural worldview, (b) attitude towards cultural differences, (c) knowledge of different cultural practices and worldviews, and (d) cross-cultural skills.   Developing cultural competence through training can result  in a better ability to understand, communicate with, and effectively interact with people across cultures and can lead to a 15% decrease in miscommunication.  In senior care, this communications training can significantly improve outcomes, especially in caring for those with dementias, chronic illness, pain and at end-of-life.

Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Senior Care Professionals, Senior Care, Aging in the Workplace, Training, Hospital Professionals, Diversity, health, Cultural Competency, Workforce, patients, competence

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!

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

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.

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

Our hyper competitive, profit driven business world often scoffs at the idea of collaboration.  I supposed I'm naive, but I want to think that those in senior care are more passionate and compassionate about working with others for the greater good.  I still believe this is true for most of us.  Working well with others almost always comes back to us ten fold.  This is true in life and business.

Topics: The Faith Community, The Family Caregiver, Senior Care Professionals, Senior Care, dementia, elder care, families, Master Trainers, front line staff, AGE-u-cate Training Instite

It's a small small world in many ways. Those of us with a mission and passion to help others just seem to find each other. Caring people find connections with other caring people - it's like magic!
We all know the basics of health 101: eat well, exercise, get proper sleep. Add to that the science of social connections. One study showed that lack of social connections is a greater detriment to health than obesity, smoking and high blood pressure.
People who are connected to each others experience:

Topics: AGE-u-cate Training Institute, healthcare, Senior Care Professionals, aging services, Senior Care

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

With today’s emphasis on person centered care, communication skills are essential. Any senior care or hospice professional regularly interacts with people with communication challenges stemming from brain injury, stroke, hearing loss; Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease.

Topics: Senior Care Professionals, Senior Care, empathy, Person centered care, Hospice, communication

We've almost made it through the 1st month of 2017.  I'm always amazed at how the world seems to stop in its track after Thanksgiving.   Then January rolls around, and  it's All Hands on Deck!  So if your January has hit you like a Nor' East wind,  remember the wise words of one of our greatest authors, Dr. Seuss.... FUN IS GOOD!

Topics: The Family Caregiver, Senior Care Professionals, Elders, Senior Care, fun, dopamine, laughter

PASSION trumps all.  I was recently told this by a well respected CEO of a very successful company in the senior care industry.   As I witness the growth of our business I can attest to the fact that many of the clients we work with are passionate in their drive to go above and beyond in serving their residents, customers, families and communities.  Those who work in and with our company have a passion in improving lives for older adults and their care partners.

Topics: Senior Care Professionals, Senior Care, Senior Care Industry, aging, Passionate, Leaders, families, Volunteers, Employees, Passion, Work