TOPEKA, Kan. – Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) Secretary Laura Howard today announced a partnership with AGE-u-cate™ Training Institute to train 30 Kansas certified nursing facilities as part of a one-year education project, “Back to Basics: Building Blocks To Cultivate Compassion, Empathy And Life Engagement To Improve Quality Of Life For Long-Term Care Residents.”
AGE-u-cate™ submitted a Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Reinvestment Application to KDADS to request funds from the agency’s CMP program, funded by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS). Kansas nursing facilities signed up to participate to incorporate four Age-u-cate™ programs into their education curriculum for staff. These programs will serve as building blocks leading to improved quality of life for residents by building meaningful relationships between staff and residents, promoting emotional health, and access to meaningful activities.
- Dementia Live® – an immersive dementia simulation and empathy training experience
- Compassionate Touch® – a person-first therapeutic touch caregiving protocol that builds stronger relationships between staff and residents
- REVEAL Aging™ – online caregiver courses that focus on cultivating empathy and quality of life
- Flashback™ – an interactive reminiscing activity
“Continuing education and training for Kansas nursing facility staff is an ongoing critical need,” KDADS CMP Program Manager Rebecca Miller said. “Partnering with AGE-u-cate™ allows us to invest funding directly to facilities across the state and provide them access to relevant and impactful tools that advance the culture of care with compassion as individuals age and their needs change.”
Thirty nursing homes will receive more than $147 thousand to complete the program:
- Eureka Nursing Center
- Galena Nursing Center
- Grand Plains
- Heritage Healthcare
- Hilltop Manor
- Medicalodges:
- Arkansas City
- Atchison
- Columbus
- Eudora
- Fort Scott
- Frontenac
- Goddard
- Great Bend
- Independence
- Iola
- Paola
- Pittsburg
- Medicalodges Kansas City Post Acute
- Medicalodges of Kinsley
- Medicalodges of Leavenworth
- Medicalodges of Wichita
- Medicalodges of Midland Coffeyville
- Montgomery Place
- Moran Manor
- Northpoint
- Osage Nursing Center
- Pleasant Valley
- Quaker Hill
- Sabetha Manor
- Wheatland Nursing Center
About AGE-u-cate™ Training Institute
AGE-u-cate™ Training Institute delivers evidence-informed, high-impact caregiver education and meaningful life enrichment programs, improving the quality of life for older adults and inspiring change in organizations that serve older adults. The Back-to-Basics project was developed by the AGE-u-cate™ team of aging services professionals who have extensive experience in eldercare, gerontology, dementia care and training, business development, and CMP grant procurement and project management.