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Dementia Live® Educates Law Enforcement in North Central Texas

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Industry

Government

Challenge

For persons with dementia, a personal encounter with first responders is often a frightening and dehumanizing experience. A lack of understanding about dementia and empathy for persons living with dementia by first responders many times results in a negative outcome. In order to address these challenges law enforcement and other first responders need to understand how frightening this interaction can be, be educated about dementia and develop empathy toward these persons.

Results

As of January 2024, the following data demonstrates program success: Increased Understanding: 8.1% improvement in understanding common characteristics of dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease, and 11.2% increase in understanding situations that can cause anxiety and distress for people living with dementia. Increased Confidence: 40.9% increase in confidence of interacting with people living with dementia.Increased Skills: 19.8% improvement in identifying appropriate communication skills for interacting with people living with dementia and 25.7% increase in responding with understanding and empathy.

Key Product

Dementia Live®

dffw.org/
290+
Trained Personnel
40.9%
Increase in Confidence
25.7%
Increase Responding with Understanding
11.2%
Increase Understanding of Anxiety & Distress

I really enjoyed the live experience and scenarios, and felt they were super beneficial in helping us understand dementia.

Law Enforcement Training Participant

North Central Texas Law Enforcement

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About the North Central Texas Council of Governments

The North Central Texas Council of Governments Regional Police Academy understands the importance of having dementia awareness and education for their recruits and sought out the resources of Dementia Friendly Fort Worth (DFFW). Through a Dementia Capable Grant and ongoing partnership with the North Central Texas Council of Governments, DFFW is responsible for providing direct services that consist of conducting dementia training for law enforcement personnel in Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Erath, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Navarro, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant, and/or Wise Counties within Texas. DFFW uses Dementia Live® curriculum, modified for use in group settings, and Dementia Friendly curriculum, modified for law enforcement personnel. The goal of offering dementia training to 250 law enforcement personnel during the performance period, which began in the Fall of 2022, has already been exceeded with 290 law enforcement recruits trained and counting.

The Challenge

For persons living with dementia, a personal encounter with law enforcement is often a frightening and dehumanizing experience. A lack of understanding about dementia and empathy for persons living with dementia by law enforcement many times results in a negative outcome. In order to address these challenges, law enforcement needs to understand how frightening this interaction can be, engage in education about dementia, and develop empathy for people living with dementia.

Through a Dementia Capable Grant, the North Central Texas Council of Governments engaged Dementia Friendly Fort Worth (DFFW) to take action.

"Really was an eye-opening experience, learning about people with dementia is a very hard topic to teach/learn about, but these instructors were very well prepared. Recommend this class to any recruit." 

Law Enforcement Training Participant

 

Program Specifics:

  • A full-day dementia training was developed using a combination of learning modalities including: interactive experience, interactive group activities, kinesthetic activities, lecture, role play using scenarios, and video content

  • Law enforcement training participants complete pre and post-tests as well as a final evaluation

  • This training has resulted in improved empathy for the person living with dementia as well as improved confidence in interacting with people living with dementia, bringing better outcomes for crisis situations involving people with dementia

 

The Results

As of January 2024, the following data demonstrates program success:

Increased Understanding: 8.1% improvement in understanding common characteristics of dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease and 11.2% increase in understanding situations that can cause anxiety and distress for people living with dementia.

Increased Confidence: 40.9% increase in confidence of interacting with people living with dementia.

Increased Skills: 19.8% improvement in identifying appropriate communication skills for interacting with people living with dementia and 25.7% increase in responding with understanding and empathy.

Download the full PDF of this case study.

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