Compassionate Touch® Year-End Results for North Carolina Civil Monetary Penalty Project Funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

CMS Funds Year 2 of Compassionate Touch Project beginning March 1, 2020

Atlanta, GA & Bedford, TX – AGE-u-cate Training Institute (www.AGEucate.com) has completed year one of the Civil Monetary Penalty funded project awarded by  the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to help 66 North Carolina Nursing homes to improve care to residents with dementia.

The project is titled “Compassionate Touch: A Practical, Non-Pharmacological Approach to Ease Behavioral Symptoms, thereby Supporting Nursing Homes’ Efforts to Minimize the Use of Antipsychotic Medications for Dementia-related Behaviors.”

Compassionate Touch® is an approach combining skilled touch and specialized communication shown to prevent behavioral expression in people with dementia and reduce job stress in care-partners.

The goal of this project was to equip staff working in 66 North Carolina nursing homes with practical skilled touch techniques to incorporate in daily care routines. Compassionate Touch training was also conducted for North Carolina state surveyors, long-term care ombudsman, and the North Carolina Quality Improvement Organization.

66 North Carolina nursing homes received in-person training across all regions of the state.  A total of 197 sessions were completed and 2,090 staff received the Compassionate Touch training.

AGE-u-cate is pleased to report the following data results from this project:

  • Reported 28.5% decrease in physical behavior with residents living with dementia, exceeding the expected outcome of 10% reduction.
  • Reported 28.2% decrease in verbal behaviors toward others in residents living with dementia, exceeding the expected outcome of 10% reduction.
  • Reported 24.2% decrease in the presence of other behavioral symptoms not directed towards others, exceeding the expected outcome of 10% reduction.
  • Reported 22.8% decrease in presence and frequency of rejection of care, exceeding the expected outcome of 10% reduction.
  • In addition, changes in antipsychotic medication usage reported an 18% reduction.

Feedback from staff included the following comments:

  • Resident is less combative when performing CT prior to giving care
  • Three psychotropic medications have been discontinued and significantly reduced
  • We have a resident that yells out most of the day.We have started using CT with her, and after about 15 minutes she becomes very relaxed and quiet.
  • We have a resident who constantly attempts to stand up from her chair and is a high risk for falls.Since CT has started, she has shown a decrease in falls and will sit much longer after CT is performed.
  • We are seeing a reduction in behaviors across the facility, not just in our target group.
  • One or our coaches was giving a hand rub to the resident and the feedback from the resident was amazing and intimate, as the resident shared a nice smile in appreciation.

“We have been honored to support the long-term care culture change initiatives in North Carolina through this project.  The researched benefits of Compassionate Touch to reduce anxiety, loneliness and isolation to name a few, and our findings through this project support the transformational power of human connection, especially for those living with dementia.  We look forward to continuing our work in North Carolina,” stated Pam Brandon, AGE-u-cate’s President and Founder.

About AGE-u-cate Training Institute
AGE-u-cate Training Institute develops and delivers innovative, research-based aging and dementia training programs for professional and family caregivers.  Training is delivered across the United States and internationally in long term care communities, hospitals, in-home, hospice,community-based organizations and universities.

AGE-u-cate contact:  Mary Petersen, Manager of Client Engagement
817.857.1157 x 204, mary.petersen@ageucate.com

NC Department of Health and Human Services contact:  Becky Wertz, Section Chief Division of Health Service Regulation, Nursing Home Licensure and Certification Section   919.855.4580, becky.wertz@dhhs.nc.gov

 

CMS ATLANTA REGIONAL OFFICE AWARDS AGE-U-CATE TRAINING INSTITUTE $422,900 FOR COMPASSIONATE TOUCH® TRAINING

Atlanta, GA & Colleyville, TX – AGE-u-cate Training Institute (www.AGEucate.com) has been awarded $422, 900 in Civil Monetary Penalty funding by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to help 66 North Carolina Nursing homes improve care to residents with dementia. Atlanta, GA & Colleyville, TX – AGE-u-cate Training Institute (www.AGEucate.com) has been awarded $422, 900 in Civil Monetary Penalty funding by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to help 66 North Carolina Nursing homes improve care to residents with dementia.

The one-year project is titled “Compassionate Touch: A Practical, Non-Pharmacological Approach to Ease Behavioral Symptoms, thereby Supporting Nursing Homes’ Efforts to Minimize the Use of Antipsychotic Medications for Dementia-related Behaviors.”
Compassionate Touch® is an approach combining skilled touch and specialized communication shown to prevent behavioral expression in people with dementia and reduce job stress in care-partners.

The goal of this project is to equip staff working in 66 North Carolina nursing homes with practical skilled touch techniques to incorporate in daily care routines. Compassionate Touch training will also be conducted for North Carolina state surveyors, Long-Term Care Ombudsman, and North Carolina Quality Improvement Organization.

There is an urgent need to better support persons living with dementia and we look forward to working with North Carolina nursing homes,” says Pam Brandon, AGE-u-cate’s President and Founder. “This program offers simple, yet effective, tools for care partners to connect with, calm and comfort those they are caring for living with dementia.”

The Compassionate Touch program was developed by Ann Catlin, OTR, LMT, a leading expert in the field of skilled touch in eldercare and hospice.   Drawing on 30 years’ experience, Ann has guided professionals and organizations to rediscover ‘touch-as-medicine’ in person-centered dementia care.

About AGE-u-cate Training Institute
AGE-u-cate Training Institute develops and delivers innovative, research-based aging and dementia training programs for professional and family caregivers.  Training is delivered across the United States and internationally in long term care hospitals, in-home, hospice, and community-based organizations as well as universities.

AGE-u-cate contact:  Renee Riffey, Director of Client Engagement 817.857.1157 x 204, renee@AGEucate.com
NC Department of Health and Human Services contact:  Becky Wertz, Section Chief Division of Health Service Regulation, Nursing Home Licensure and Certification Section   919.855.4580, becky.wertz@dhhs.nc.gov
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BENCHMARK ENHANCES MIND & MEMORY PROGRAM WITH DEMENTIA LIVE®

Benchmark Senior Living teaming with Dementia Live

Provides Additional Resident, Family Member and Community Support to Those Affected by Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

Aug. 13, 2018, Waltham, Mass. & Colleyville, Texas – Benchmark (www.BenchmarkSeniorLiving.com), a leading provider of senior living services in the Northeast and AGE-u-cate® Training Institute (www.ageucate.com), developers of innovative aging education, today announced the two organizations have partnered to bring additional dementia education to Benchmark communities throughout the Northeast.

According to the World Health Organization, there are over 50 million people currently living with dementia, and this number is expected to triple by 2050. To help address the growing need for dementia knowledge and continue to provide superior care, Benchmark has deployed AGE-u-cate’s Dementia Live® curriculum company-wide, delivering advanced education to its memory care team members throughout the Northeast. In addition, to help people in the areas they serve along their journey, many Benchmark communities are now offering complimentary public workshops for caregivers and family members that are designed to provide practical insight into what it’s really like to live with dementia.

Dementia Live puts individuals in the position of being able to experience what those with a brain affected by dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and other memory disorders encounter. By incorporating demonstrations and tools, such as a dementia simulation experience and practical action plans, called Empowerment Tools, individuals are able to go inside the dementia brain for the first time, making it easier to care for and understand those with the disease.

AGE-u-cate Training Institute develops and delivers innovative aging and dementia education for professional and family caregivers, serving senior care communities, nursing homes, home care and hospice providers, government agencies, hospitals, the business community and families. AGE-u-cate’s programs are being implemented by providers across the United States, Australia, Canada, and this year will be expanding to other countries.

“There is an urgent need for quality education and training to meet the fast-aging worldwide population,” says Pam Brandon, president and founder of AGE-u-cate. “We are excited about our partnership with Benchmark and their commitment to delivering high-quality care in each of its communities.”

In addition to Dementia Live education, Benchmark memory care communities offer a Mind & Memory approach crafted and guided by Certified Dementia Practitioners. This unique approach is designed to help those with memory loss stay active, healthy and engaged, staying connected to what matters most. Special programming, services, resident support and Family Connect help residents feel secure, comfortable and successful every day. In 2019, the company will open Adelaide Place of Newton Centre in Newton, Mass., a dedicated memory care community complete with cutting-edge, first-of-its-kind programs.

“Elder care is fast becoming about dementia care, and there is a great need to support those who are caring for and serving those with the disease,” says Karen Bain, Benchmark’s vice president of resident care. “For a family experiencing dementia, it can be very easy to become disconnected, especially as the disease progresses. By understanding what the resident is experiencing and getting to know each individual on a deep level, we are able to hit on what they are passionate about and keep them connected to those around them. We are already seeing great results with Dementia Live and look forward to using it to help even more people in the communities we serve.”

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 About Benchmark
Based in Waltham, Mass., Benchmark is a leading provider of senior living services in the Northeast.  Founded in 1997 by Tom Grape, Benchmark operates 57 senior living communities offering independent living, assisted living, Alzheimer’s care and continuing care in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. In 2018, Benchmark was certified as a Great Place to Work by the Great Place to Work Institute and became the first senior living organization and only the fifth Massachusetts-based company to receive Certified Age Friendly Employer (CAFE) designation from RetirementJobs.com. It also has been recognized as a top workplace by The Boston Globe for 10 consecutive years as well as by the Boston Business Journal, Connecticut Post, Hartford Courant and Hartford Business Journal.  For more information, visit BenchmarkSeniorLiving.com.

About AGE-u-cate Training Institute
AGE-u-cate Training Institute develops and delivers innovative aging and dementia training programs for professional and family caregivers.  AGE-u-cate’s programs are enhancing the lives of elders, their care partners and families, meeting the urgent training needs across the US, and internationally by long term care communities, behavioral hospitals, in-home and hospice care, community based organizations and universities.

Benchmark Press Contact: Carol Arnold, Arnold Communications, carol@arnoldcomm.com, (603) 502-0469.

AGE-u-cate Press contact: Renee Riffey, Director of Client Engagement, AGE-u-cate, (817) 857-1157 x204.

AGE-u-cate® Training Institute and IKOR Partner on Dementia Training Programs

AGE-u-cate® Training Institute and IKOR announced their partnership in December of 2017 on offering IKOR Managing Directors in-depth training on the Dementia Live® program. This training will provide the IKOR Managing Directors with training and tools to educate families, organizations and communities how to better support those affected by Alzheimer’s Disease and related dementias. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s Disease. By 2050, that number could rise as high as 16 million.

Dementia Live® is an innovative program designed by a team of dementia, sensitivity and awareness, and professional development experts from the nationally recognized AGE-u-cate® Training Institute headquartered in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. The Dementia Live® program is the newest tool in the powerful arena of sensitivity awareness training being used for the booming number of direct care staff, family caregivers, healthcare professionals, and college and university students.  “We are at the crossroads of understanding aging and dementia; this understanding is not an option but a necessity for every member of our society.  It is a worldwide phenomenon affecting every level of our society”, states Pam Brandon, President and Founder of the AGE-u-cate Training Institute.  “We must equip those who are caring for and serving our aging population to better understand their challenges. We are living in a fast-aging world.”

IKOR, a leading national provider of life care management services, helps individuals and families manage the various activities of life which become too complicated due to age, cognitive decline, illness or injury. “We are excited to begin offering the Dementia Live® experience to the families we serve and the communities we belong to,” said Kim Root, Vice President of Operations. “Our Managing Directors pride themselves on being a resource people in their community can rely on to navigate the complexities of aging, injury or disease. The Dementia Live training is another powerful tool we can use to help individuals understand the challenges of living with dementia.”

Experience Offers Inside View of Dementia

The Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals held its Fall Meeting in EauClaire, Wisconsin in early September. They  invited AGEucate Training Institute to provide a unique opportunity for them to briefly, yet movingly, experience the challenges and struggles of a person living with dementia.  They will also be touring The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company in Chippewa Falls, WI.

Dementia Live™ is an innovative program designed by a team of dementia, sensitivity and awareness, and professional development experts from the nationally recognized AGE-u-cate® Training Institute headquartered in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

Using specialized gear within a safe, experiential setting, Dementia Live™ provides 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 (24/7) affecting persons with dementia. Greater understanding leads to more sensitive care partnering.

The Dementia Live program is the newest tool in the powerful arena of sensitivity awareness training being used for the booming number of direct care staff, family caregivers, healthcare professionals, and college and university students.  “We are at the crossroads of understanding aging and dementia; this understanding is not an option but a necessity for every member of our society.  It is a worldwide phenomenon affecting every level of our society”, states Pam Brandon, President and Founder of the AGE-u-cate Training Institute.  “We must equip those who are caring for and serving our aging population to better understand their challenges. We are living in a fast-aging world.”

Information about Dementia Live™ and other training programs offered by AGE-u-cate® Training Institute is available at www.AGEucate.com

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We invite WQOW to contact Beth Propp to experience Dementia Live™ personally. Please contact our Master Trainer to schedule a private noontime session.  The event will take place Thursday, October 12, 2017.  The event is being held at the Sleep Inn & Conference Center, EauClaire, WI.

Creating important moments through Compassionate Touch

Civitas Senior Living Features Dementia Live™

Dominion at Patrick Square, Clemson, SC, opening fall 2018

Building Momentum

Courtesy of SENIORLIVINGNEWS

Despite increasing construction costs, contractors reporting widespread labor shortages, senior housing occupancy rates dropping and various industry data predicting a slow-down in construction, senior living organizations across the country are reporting plenty of activity in the form of expansions, renovations, openings, new construction and acquisitions.

Dominion Senior Living continues to make its statement in the senior living industry with its defined faith-based culture and tremendous growth. This year it has already opened two new communities in Hixson and Bristol, TN, and is scheduled to open communities in Athens, TN, and Richmond, KY, in the next few months. It also started construction on communities in Frankfort and Florence, KY, as well as Anderson and Clemson, SC.

“With our history of substantial growth and our future rapid expansion, our goal is to invest in people while changing the lives of three groups: seniors, their families and our team members,” said Michael Holtzclaw, senior director of operations for Dominion Senior Living.

Oak Trace in Downers Grove, IL

Lifespace Communities will invest approximately $400 million in redevelopment efforts over the next few years. Making improvements to existing communities and pursing opportunities for growth are two key initiatives. Within the past four months, Lifespace has completed renovations at two communities, started construction at another and anticipates beginning construction at three other communities by early 2018.

Development of the first phase of its $150 million Oak Trace in Downers Grove, IL, will start in early fall and include a new, modern-design health center with 66 new assisted living apartments, 28 memory support suites and 102 skilled nursing suites with private courtyards and attractive views. Phase II will follow directly with construction of more than 150 new residential/independent living apartments.

“Enhancing the lives of our residents through redevelopment will help us protect market share and continue the stabilization of our financial operations, giving us the ability to grow,” said Sloan Bentley, president & CEO of Lifespace Communities. “Today’s seniors have high expectations, and Lifespace wants to be a premier choice for retirement living throughout the country.”

Mustang Creek Estates of Sachse will mimic this
look of Mustang Creek Estates of Frisco

Mustang Creek Estates, based in Dallas, brings its fifth senior living community to Dallas/Fort Worth, announcing construction of a 42,000-square-foot, $7.5 million dollar assisted living and memory care community in Sachse, expected to open in fall 2017.

Mustang Creek Estates of Sachse is accepting reservations for its residential-style community that will feature six uniquely designed homes facing a greenspace and walking path and housing up to 16 seniors in each home. A flexible schedule will enable residents receiving personal assisted care to continue living as they did at home, including the ability to congregate in the central open kitchen in each home in the neighborhood as their meals are prepared from scratch.

“There is a real need for our affordable, residential-style assisted living and memory care community in the rapidly growing town of Sachse,” said Renee Ramsey, CEO of Mustang Creek Estates. “We look forward to being a resource for local families and organizations.”

Civitas Senior Living, a Texas-based senior living management and consulting company with more than 30 communities across the nation, recently announced its latest development: Parc Hill Senior Living in Orange City, FL, with 69 assisted living apartments and 30 memory care units dedicated to individuals with Alzheimer’s and dementia. It is scheduled to open in spring 2018.

Parc Hill Senior Living, Orange City, FL, opening spring 2018

Civitas also acquired Oyster Creek Assisted Living and Memory Care in Missouri City, TX, an 87-unit assisted living and memory care senior community in Missouri City, TX. On April 1, 2017, Civitas started managing the property and, as of June 30, transitioned from management to ownership.

“The need to provide loving and evidence-based care for residents with dementia or a dementia-type diagnosis is growing exponentially as the Baby Boomer generation enters their golden years,” said Civitas President Wayne Powell. “The cutting edge Memory Care communities within the Civitas family provide the right care for our residents and support for our families through programs like AGE-u-cate’s® Dementia Live™ trainings and simulations. It is a need we are passionate about meeting in all the areas where Civitas has a senior living center.”

Oyster Creek Assisted Living and Memory Care

Clarendale of Chandler is one of at least three $10 million dollar-plus senior residential developments planned in the city of Chandler, AZ, and at least 29 Valley-wide. With construction starting November 2017, plans for this $45 million dollar project call for a 247,400 square-foot assisted living community to consist of a three-story residential building and 14 stand-alone residential villas (independent living). The main building will be primarily three stories but also feature one- and two-story elements. It will include 116 independent and 64 assisted living dwellings, as well as 38 memory care spaces.

Jackson Creek Senior Living, a 137-unit senior living community in Monument, CO, recently broke ground for a 127,800 square-foot, three-story building tentatively scheduled to open in fall 2018. It will feature 80 assisted living and 27 independent living residences with different size options and 30 memory care communities in two secured neighborhoods, each with 15 studio units.

In Dayton, OH, plans call for an early 2018 construction start on the redevelopment of the Rollandia golf course into a senior housing development. The plans for the senior living community will be developed on a nearly 10-acre plot of land, containing 123 independent living units, 57 assisted living units and 20 memory care units. The remaining 40 acres are designated for single-family detached homes targeted to empty-nesters and a multi-family rental community targeted to both empty-nesters and young professionals.

Construction is set to start in early 2018 on the Woods Assisted Living Community in Plainfeild, IL, which will be a new 60-unit assisted living and memory care community as a part of Community Crossroads Business Center.

Grand Living at Tamaya in Jacksonville, FL, will start construction in October 2017 on a more than $40 million four-story, 200,000 -square-foot 165-bed independent- and assisted-living community with 32 residences reserved for memory care.

Cheryl SlavinskyCheryl Slavinsky
Associate Editor

As associate editor, Cheryl writes a weekly feature story for Senior Living News and helps plan its HealthTAC events. Previously senior public relations strategist for Varsity, a marketing and sales consulting agency focused on occupancy for retirement communities, CCRCs and assisted living facilities, Cheryl continues to serve senior living clients. She also managed national media relations as Rite Aid’s director of public relations and Hershey Entertainment & Resorts’ manager of public relations.

Four New Master Trainers Certified in June

New Master Trainers
Master trainers from Grapvine, Texas training event in June 2017. From left, Pam Brandon, president and founder of AGE-u-cate, Gabriela Frederick, Charlene Brosius, V’Ann Giuffre, V.P. of Training, Connie Fox, and Jane Williams

In June, AGE-u-cate welcomed it’s latest group of professionals from across the U.S. to its new Grapevine, Texas training facility to participate in the company’s Master Trainers Program. Over three days of intensive training, the group learned how to train certified Dementia Live™ and Compassionate Touch® coaches, receiving in-depth knowledge of dementia, Alzheimer’s, and aging-changes that will prepare them as dementia specialists serving professional and family caregivers.

“The urgent need for dementia education is on the cusp of explosive growth as our population marches quickly toward old age,” said Pam Brandon, President and Founder of AGE-u-cate Training Institute. “Dementia is a leading cause of death worldwide that must be addressed at every level of society.   Our Master Trainers will be in their communities able to train those working in long term care, hospitals, public agencies and more with innovative programs that offer powerful tools for caregivers to communicate with and respond to the behavior expression of persons living with dementia.”

AGE-u-cate Featured on Alzheimer’s Speaks Radio

On June 20, 2017 on Alzheimer’s Speaks Radio, host Lori La Bey features  Pam Brandon, President and founder of AGE-u-cate Training Institute, Ann Catlin, creator of Compassionate Touch®, and Kayla Gaiennie representing Harbor Chase of Plano, Texas. Together, they share their passion to shift dementia care through education and training. Learn how AGE-u-cate with its Dementia Live™ and Compassionate Touch® training programs are changing lives for those living with dementia and what communities applying their techniques are saying.

Listen to “AGE-u-cate Training Institute” on Spreaker.

Master Trainer Intensive Workshop a success


To meet the fast growing demands of quality dementia training, AGE-u-cate Training Institute instituted it’s first Master Trainer Intensive Workshop in February.

Professionals from across the US and Australia spent three and a half days in Dallas learning AGE-u-cate’s flagship training programs – Dementia Live™ and Compassionate Touch®. Garnering in-depth knowledge of dementia, Alzheimer’s and aging changes helped them to prepare as dementia specialists serving professional and family caregivers.

“The urgent need for dementia education is on the cusp of explosive growth as our population marches quickly toward old age,” said Pam Brandon, President and Founder of AGE-u-cate Training Institute. “ Dementia is a worldwide concern and one that must be addressed at every level of society.   Our Master Trainers will be in their communities able to train those working in long term care, hospitals, public agencies and more with innovative programs that offer powerful tools for caregivers to communicate with and respond to the behavior expression of persons living with dementia.