Preparing Your Organization
For post-acute care organizations, providing memory care can open new revenue streams, differentiate you from your competitors and offer more complete care options for your residents.
As the population of Americans living with Alzheimer’s increases, more families will seek expert caregivers to help look after their loved ones.
Dementia care can be difficult because not all patients will experience the disease in the same way. It may affect a person’s mood, thoughts, motor activity and personality. Difficult behaviors that people who have dementia may exhibit include:
The following physical health challenges also can complicate dementia care:
Clinicians and staff need to be given the tools to provide the personalized care that will most positively affect client outcomes. Without the proper training and resources, caregivers may be ill-equipped to manage the needs of residents with dementia. This can raise stress levels of your staff, leading to more frequent turnover, and increase risk for residents receiving care.
Articles
Why Tracking Dementia Is a Top Priority for Senior Care Providers
Tracking dementia has become key to creating a successful senior care strategy to beat dementia and Alzheimer's. Learn more now.
Learn MoreWe're Expanding Our Dementia Awareness and Education with Industry Leader Teepa Snow
We are excited to announce that our Teepa Snow offering has 26 new titles and topics to offer those seeking additional dementia education.
Learn MoreDementia Care: Tips for Celebrating the Holidays
Here are some suggestions which may help to ease the burden of caregiving and keep the holidays happy and memorable, for you and your family.
Learn MoreStudies Find Light Therapy Offers Several Benefits to Seniors with Dementia
Results of two recent studies find that light therapy reduces agitation, depression and helps normalize sleep schedules for seniors with dementia.
Learn MoreVirtual Dementia Experience


A Day in the Life of Henry
Experience a day in the life of Henry, a resident diagnosed with dementia. Using virtual reality, this course will show you life through Henry’s eyes as he interacts with his caregivers.
Take the CourseDementia Care Resources
Competence in Dementia Care: Strengthen Your Team, Enhance Your Outcomes
Identifying and treating patients and residents living with dementia is vital to healthcare professionals in all care settings, including outpatient clinics, hospitals, assisted living and life plan communities, rehabilitation therapy offices, skilled nursing facilities, and in-home care.
Learn More Learn MorePerson-Centered Care Planning
Renowned dementia care expert, Teepa Snow, identifies the key factors that should be taken into consideration when planning a care routine for a person who is living with dementia. Teepa highlights the value of individualizing scheduled routines and programs for the best outcomes.
Learn MoreCommon Questions About Dementia
-
What is the difference between Alzheimer’s and dementia?
Dementia is an umbrella term for a collection of symptoms, the most commonly thought of being memory loss.
Alzheimer’s is a disease that falls under this umbrella, but there are also other forms of dementia.
Not all people diagnosed with dementia have Alzheimer’s. Other forms include Lewy body dementia and frontotemporal dementia.
Dementia has also been associated with other brain-related diseases such as Parkinson’s.
-
How many different forms of dementia are there?
There are approximately 120 forms, causes and types of dementia.
-
Should my staff be able to recognize each form of dementia?
Despite their differences, dementia and Alzheimer’s are commonly used interchangeably, even by caregivers.
Your staff should be aware that there are different forms of dementia that require different treatment types.
Let’s say you have a resident who is experiencing hallucinations. A clinician may consider giving the resident an antipsychotic.
If the clinician is unaware of different forms of dementia, they may not know that a person with Lewy Body Dementia is likely to have a toxic side-effect from taking those types of medication.
Lack of knowledge around different types and treatment options can put your residents at risk.
-
Why is it so hard for my staff to create care plans for residents experiencing dementia?
Dementia doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Often those with memory care needs also experience anxiety and depression.
Since dementia primarily impacts an older, more vulnerable population, it can be compounded with other medical needs such as Parkinson’s or heart disease.
This is what makes caring for a person experiencing dementia so difficult. With so many potential factors and explanations for a person’s symptoms, it can be difficult for a caregiver to decipher what is causing their patient to act a certain way.
Is your patient’s lack of desire to eat a presentation of dementia or depression?
Knowing the most current best practices becomes even more important for your staff. As we continue to learn more about how dementia impacts other medical conditions, we develop better strategies for caring for those with memory care needs.
-
What happens when my staff makes a mistake?
The reality is, if you are caring for a person experiencing dementia, there are going to be mistakes made.
The key will be for your staff to turn those mistakes into learning opportunities.
Instead of just moving on, it will be important for your staff to acknowledge that mistake occurred and come up with a solution to prevent it from happening again.
Teepa Snow Dementia Care Training
Teepa Snow is a dementia-care education specialist with a background in occupational therapy and close to 40 years of clinical practice.
Her GEMS® State Model for understanding progression and change in ability, combined with her Positive Approach® to Care (PAC) Skills, form practical and effective strategies and techniques for individuals and agencies seeking to optimize care and support for those living with dementia and their care partners.
These user-friendly approaches provide guidance and leadership to national efforts to promote best practices. PAC is collaboratively working to change the culture of dementia care, one mind at a time in over 30 countries worldwide.
Relias has partnered with Teepa Snow to provide our clients with the best on-demand dementia care training Teepa has to offer.
To help get you familiar with her approach to dementia care, preview our Teepa Snow Library.