With NBA's basketball season in full swing and NFL's Superbowl around the corner, no one doubts the incredible impact a good coach has on developing both the physical and mental strengths that lead to the success of sports teams. Today, coaches are proving their value in a diversity of areas: Whole Life Coach, Communications Coach, Wellness Coach, Career Coach, Weight Loss Coach, Business Coach, and even Relationship Coach.

In the sea of dementia care training, leaders can be overwhelmed when evaluating options. This article provides practical guidance if you are just getting started in creating a dementia training program or if you are re-evaluating current practices. 

Before you learn the six components that define quality dementia care training, I'm going to discuss four fundamental truths: 

We Must Educate, Engage, and Retain Employees

Aging service providers are experiencing dangerously high staff shortages that impact the quality of care, employee retention, and family satisfaction. These together directly affect the bottom line. 

Studies reveal a correlation between the lack of investment in care team education and turnover, with staff reporting feeling ill-prepared for their work with older adults, especially those with memory loss. It's time for a change!

I have experienced moments of confusion, like being on a business trip and waking up in an unfamiliar place and needing a moment to orient myself.  One time (or possibly more than once), I forgot where I parked my car at a large shopping mall.  With so many entrances to choose from, I could not remember which one I walked through to enter the mall.  Just a few weeks ago, I went through half of a day believing it was Thursday, and it was Wednesday- an entire HALF DAY!  

Let's be honest. 2021 felt like we had our foot on the gas AND brake at the same time. Make plans, cancel plans, make plans, reschedule plans. Make PLANS? Uh, let's wait and see. Sound familiar?  

I mentioned my grandmother briefly in my last post and I would love to share more about her!  Her name was Mildred and this year she would have celebrated her 101st year around the sun.  She was was the pillar of our family and barrel of fun!  I can see her infectious smile now, dancing in the kitchen singing "If I'd known you were coming, I would've baked you a cake"!  Most of my memories of grandmama Mildred involve her journey living with dementia.  She taught our family so much in the 8+ years she lived with dementia.  Her sense of humor never ceased and was a critical piece in allowing grace to shine bright through it all.  And boy did we need grace - we didn't always get it right.  That's life.  

The toll of COVID induced loneliness and isolation on our elders is still in research phase and will be for some time to come.  Caregivers, too, have carried a heavy burden.  Professional and family caregivers have endured equal if not greater effects of this long running pandemic.  In addition to the fears surrounding the virus itself, as studies are released, we will be able to capture just how deep and wide the emotional burden has been to those caring for PLWD (persons living with dementia).