Building Relationships and Skills in Dementia Care

“Dementia does not rob people of their dignity, it is our reaction to them that does.” … Teepa Snow

Are you caring for a loved one living with dementia?
How much better could life be for the both of you if you had the tools to address brain changes?

Being a caregiver for a loved one with dementia presents its own unique set of circumstances requiring a special set of skills. The progressive, terminal effects of dementia pose the ongoing need for caregivers to educate themselves on changes occurring with their loved one.
Are you caring for a loved one with dementia, finding yourself blocked and frustrated because you don’t know what to do and how to do it when it comes to relating and communicating?
Do you wonder why what you both want is not happening?
Learn to anticipate the struggles and how to be better prepared.
Recognize your loved one’s point of view, understand where they are coming from, comprehend the grieving of loss that comes with dementia, and develop a better understanding of what is possible and what is not.

The Edel Caregiver Institute offers the individualized services of a Certified Independent Dementia Consultant and Trainer under Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Caregiving™.
Further information and price listings are available for professional caregiving staff training by emailing Jill Costello at JCostello@HospiceSavannah.org.

Benefits of Edel Caregiver Dementia Education

Knowledge starts with Awareness, and Skills do not develop without Knowledge.

Caring for a person living with dementia is about building relationships, it’s about developing a better understanding of the progressive brain change this person is experiencing and how they are being affected. What skills are declining and how can I better do things “with” them instead of presenting the feeling they are having things done “to” them?
Why do they do this but not that?  Are they even understanding what is going on?  What is their reality?
Proper dementia care and relationship building is a unique skill, and it takes time to establish competency. With that competency comes greater self-assurance for the caregiver and relationship building with the person living with dementia. Changing how we both view and care for people living with dementia is a journey, but one that can lead to a better understanding and healthy alliance.

Awareness:
Gain insight into how dementia and brain change affect a person living with dementia.
Recognize and understand that caring for a person living with dementia is a unique experience requiring specific skills.

Knowledge:
Learn and practice relationship building and life-changing hands-on skills.
What does it mean to develop a person centered relationship and meet a person living with dementia at their abilities and reality.

Skills:
Gain confidence and abilities to help care partners achieve positive results.
Better understand what a person living with dementia is experiencing and how caregivers can best support and assist them using positive approach skills.
Recognize the value of building relationships and developing newly learned skills.

Competence:
By building awareness, knowledge, and skills, a competence and confidence develops where using the positive approach is the routine in caring for a person living with dementia. Care partners will understand the value of the new skills in building relationships with the person living with dementia.
New staff will be encouraged by seeing these skills in action and learning from co-workers.

Dementia caregiver education services available through the Edel Caregiver Institute

Dementia Caregiver Training
Person-centered, interactive dementia training introducing hands-on caregiver skills with the focus on doing “with” instead of “to”, and “responding” instead of “reacting” while caring for a person living with dementia. Refined skills can then be used to train facility staff and family members of in care of recipient. Recommended for any staff working directly with a person living with dementia.

Dementia Caregiver Consultations
1:1 in-depth problem solving focused on empowering caregiver to effectively connect, communicate, and comprehend the perspective of a person living with dementia.
Recommended for staff members with direct, extended daily contact with a person living with dementia in order to develop effective awareness, relationship skills, and dementia caregiving competence.

Dementia Caregiver Coaching
1:1 mentor support to integrate new person-centered skills while actively working with a person living with dementia. Refined skills can then be used to train staff and family members of care recipient. Recommended for staff needing additional support, education, or training.

Dementia Education In-Service
Community workshop designed for families of people living with dementia to educate and answer questions about brain change and best practices for developing skills and building care relationships. Dementia 101 with time for questions to address specific caregiver concerns.

Dementia Live ®
Using specialized gear within a safe, experiential setting, Dementia Live® gives participants a real-life simulation of what it must be like to live with dementia.
Participants gain greater awareness and understanding of the constant struggles affecting persons with dementia. Greater understanding leads to more sensitive caregiving.

Further information and price listings are available for professional caregiving staff training by emailing Jill Costello at JCostello@HospiceSavannah.org.