Alzheimer’s Disease Training Curriculum
for Professional Healthcare Providers and/or Professional Caregivers, Recently Completed by Team Members from The Bristal Assisted Living
Hillary Gilbert
Several staff members from The Bristal Assisted Living recently participated in a continuing education program offered by the Alzheimer's Disease Resource Center. Hillary Gilbert, Colleen Jones, ToniAnn Notarfrancesco and Angela White all completed the program, called Alzheimer’s Disease & Related Dementias.
This fourteen week course included homework, tests, projects and participation in lectures and guest speaker appearances at various venues. The course was taught by Masters Level Certified instructors and its aim was to improve the job performance of its participants through teaching new skills.
ToniAnn Notarfrancesco
The Alzheimer's Disease training course objectives were clear:
1. Know the process and development of Alzheimer's Disease.
2. Identify the specific behaviors associated with Alzheimer's Disease and how to manage these behaviors.
3. Learn and utilize communication skills to increase effectiveness.
4. Strategize planning for activities and interventions that address the specialized needs of those with Alzheimer's Disease.
Angela White
Angela White, Director of Reflections at The Bristal at Massapequa, said of the Alzheimer’s Disease training: "I really enjoyed this course." Angela expressed that it provided an "in-depth teaching on the working mechanisms in the brain, explaining the loss of white matter and how it affects memory processing."
She also felt that the course focused well on the use of techniques to assist those affected by Alzheimer's Disease and related dementia. Angela was happy to learn other ways "to allow a person with Dementia to complete tasks independently by giving them time and guidance during the task." The course also stressed "knowing when the task is too demanding for the person and how to step in to assist with completion of the task."
Colleen Jones
Colleen Jones, Director of Reflections at The Bristal at Westbury, took some positive things away from the course. "The class went into the differences between all the categories of dementia and the behaviors in each. The biggest part was the domains of the activities; trying to look at each activity and making sure that we are hitting the social, emotional and physical domains." Colleen also stated "I think that the class gave me a different perspective on the disease."
Click here to learn more about the Reflections Memory Care Program at The Bristal Assisted Living
