FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Kathleen Stuart
(503) 334-9516
January 27, 2015
New initiative will provide high quality, no-cost trainings to thousands of Oregonians in all corners of the state.
Oregon Care Partners, a quality training consortium funded by the State of Oregon and the Oregon Department of Human Services, today announced its statewide caregiver training initiative to provide high quality, no-cost trainings for caregivers across the state.
“We appreciate the Oregon Legislature’s commitment to improving the quality of the long term care workforce,” said Mike McCormick, Director of the Department of Human Service’s Aging and People with Disabilities Program. “Oregon Care Partners is expanding access to quality care for aging Oregonians by enhancing caregiver training and helping to reach previously under served populations in all parts of the state.”
The Oregon Legislature funded the caregiver training initiative in 2014 to address the overwhelming need for a well-trained workforce and additional community resources for family caregivers. The initiative helps both professional and family caregivers understand how to best manage the care, services and support for the people they care for and love, ultimately helping improve the lives and care of aging Oregonians.
“This caregiver training initiative will provide the ever expanding network of professional and family caregivers across the state with training and resources to enrich the lives of aging Oregonians,” said McCormick. “The Department of Human Services is glad to be a collaborative partner in achieving those goals and sharing best practices across the state.”
Oregon Care Partners’ caregiver training initiative offers no-cost in-person and online classes on topics including:
- Medication management to improve health outcomes and quality of life for aging Oregonians;
- Best care practices to care for persons with Alzheimer’s and related dementias;
- Care and support strategies for older adults with challenging behaviors, and;
- Specialized training for public safety workers on Alzheimer’s and related dementias.
“We are committed to helping professionals and families meet the challenges of Alzheimer’s disease.” said Tracy Morgan, Executive Director, Alzheimer’s Association® Oregon Chapter. “Our collaboration with Oregon Care Partners is helping educate thousands of Oregonians on quality dementia care practices with free training and Alzheimer’s Association essentiALZ® certification to enable more Oregonians to care for and cope with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.”
All caregiver trainings offered by Oregon Care Partners are free and open to the public. Professional and direct care staff, family caregivers, health care administrators, public safety workers, Oregon Department of Human Services workers, social workers, and members of the public are encouraged to visit www.OregonCarePartners.com to register and sign up for no-cost training.
About Oregon Care Partners
Oregon Care Partners helps caregivers improve the lives and care for aging Oregonians by providing access to no-cost, high quality trainings in all corners of the state. Established in 2014, Oregon Care Partners is a quality training consortium made up of lead organizations, facilitators and collaborators including Acumentra Health, the Alzheimer’s Association, Consonus Healthcare, the Institute for Professional Care Education, the Oregon Health Care Association, Oregon Department of Human Services, Positive Approach, LLC, SEIU Local 503, and William Simonson, PharmD, CGP, FASCP. Professional and family caregivers, administrators, and members of the public are encouraged to sign up for free classes and learn more at www.OregonCarePartners.com.
