Class Catalog

This webinar explores the importance of engaging older adults in personalized interests and opportunities to learn and grow as a person. During this instructor-led webinar, you will challenge the status-quo of typical long-term care activities programs and explore how creating innovative dynamic activities and social engagement programs will enable the person in your care to live a full and purposeful life.

Upon completion of this webinar, you will be able to:

• Define the terms “life enrichment” and “social engagement”
• Understand why life enrichment and social engagement are important
• List your roles in promoting life enrichment and social engagement
• List types of activities that address all aspects of a resident’s personality
• Discuss ways to integrate activities into the resident’s daily life to promote engagement
• Discuss the benefits and methods of integrating community into social engagement efforts
• Identify reasons for personalized enrichment and engagement opportunities
• Tailor activities to fulfill the needs of people living with dementia

Webinars

The purpose of class is to discuss the importance of maintaining activities for people living with dementia and learning strategies for creating and implementing activities. You will explore different activity ideas along with choices as they relate to the stage of disease. You will also learn tips for managing escalating behaviors during activities and understand the correlation between activities and agitation.

In this class you will learn to:

• State the importance of activities in the lives of people living with dementia
• Discuss the six principles for creating activities
• Identify the different types of activities and explain how to implement them with a person who is living with dementia
• Discuss strategies for implementing activities with residents who may feel agitated or become agitated

Online Learning Dashboard

Today you are going to learn about activities, which are also referred to as life enrichment in many communities. In this course, you will learn what the activities function entails, how activities benefit residents in your care, and how you can support activities in your care setting. The goal of this course is to provide long-term care staff with the fundamentals of successful activities.

After completing this class, you should be able to:

• Explain how the activities function impacts residents’ lives.
• Summarize your role in a successful activities program
• Describe at least four ways to safely facilitate activities.

Online Learning Dashboard

When caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, you must ensure that you are creating opportunities for the person to enhance their sense of dignity and self-esteem and providing a sense of security and enjoyment through social engagement and meaningful activities. In this module, you will learn about strategies for creating meaningful and engaging activities as well as types of activities the person with Alzheimer’s disease may engage in. Note: While this course refers to Alzheimer’s disease, the principles and concepts discussed can be applied any type of dementia. Additionally, while some of the material in this course is specific to activities in a nursing facility or assisted living community, many of the concepts can be applied in home care settings as well.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Identify the benefits of activities for persons with Alzheimer’s disease
• Describe strategies to create meaningful and engaging activities
• Illustrate the use of different types of activities in the person with Alzheimer’s disease

Online Learning Dashboard

Psychosocial care is an important component of caring for a person with Alzheimer’s disease. This involves using social engagement and meaningful activities as a way to meet the individual’s psychosocial needs, and also involves care of the family. In this course, you will learn about ways you can create opportunities for social engagement and meaningful activities as well as ways you can care for the family, especially when dealing with ethical issues.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Describe strategies to create meaningful and engaging activities
• Illustrate the use of different types of activities for the person living with Alzheimer’s disease
• Recognize issues facing family members of people with Alzheimer’s disease
• Identify resources and strategies for assisting family members with the issues they are facing

Online Learning Dashboard

The Positive Approach™ teaches hands on skills and will help you to understand and connect more effectively with people living with dementia who are experiencing changing abilities. These newly learned skills will enable you as a caregiver to shift from simply “dealing with the behaviors” to creating a positive and caring environment. This webinar is presented by an Oregon Care Partners PAC certified trainer.

This webinar teaches skills that keep in mind people living with dementia can still shine when provided with the right care and setting. You will learn the following strategies:

• How to determine “Normal Aging” versus “Not Normal Aging”
• Develop new skills related to approach, cueing, and ability to connect with people affected by dementia
• By focusing on a person’s needs and retained abilities, learn “helping” behaviors to promote a sense of control and self-direction
• Develop observation skills to recognize signals of “unmet needs and growing distress” and ways to respond that will reduce anxiety and improve quality of life

This webinar is based on training materials developed by Teepa L. Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, Dementia Care and Training Specialist -Positive Approach, LLC.

Webinars

“Teepa Snow’s GEMS™” builds upon the information taught in “Positive Approach to Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care (PAC)”. We recommend attending a PAC webinar before registering for this training.

The Positive Approach® teaches hands on skills and will help you to understand and connect more effectively with people living with dementia who are experiencing changing abilities. Teepa Snow’s dementia classification model the GEMS™ is a dignified metaphor that recognizes the many shifts in appearances, behavioral changes, skill sets and needs of those living with the effects of dementia. Understanding the GEMS™ and a person’s retained abilities will lead to an adjustment of expectations, modification of cues and support, and more accurate communication and ‘hands-on’ care to better meet ever-changing needs. This webinar is presented by an Oregon Care Partners PAC certified trainer.

This webinar teaches skills that keep in mind people living with dementia can still shine when provided with the right care and setting. You will learn the following:

• The importance and value of seeing people living with dementia as having retained abilities
• How providing the right support and care will optimize performance and quality of life.
• The 6 GEMS™ classifications and their characteristics
• Compare and contrast the 6 GEMS™ states of cognitive function and ability

This webinar is based on training materials developed by Teepa L. Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, Dementia Care and Training Specialist -Positive Approach, LLC.

Webinars

Caring for your special someone with dementia is a challenging task. You want to give the best possible care and quality of life, but wonder at times whether there is something you are missing. The Art of Caregiving will show you how to provide the most comfort for mind, body, and soul for your person with dementia. Based on training materials developed by Teepa L. Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, dementia care and training specialist, get detailed, easy-to-follow explanations for daily tasks.

Online Learning Dashboard

Anger, physical resistance, swearing, hallucinations, and sexually undesired or surprising actions are just a few examples of the challenging situations that can occur when a person is living with dementia. Unexpected and different behavior is part of the journey of living with dementia. Often times as caregivers, we react to behavior as challenging or problematic and then attempt to “stop it” before pausing and taking a moment to notice what’s really going on. Human behavior is almost always an attempt to communicate or meet a personal need. This lesson will focus on looking beyond the disease to recognize other possible factors that may be causing or contributing to the challenges using Positive Approach™ techniques developed by Teepa L. Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA.

In this lesson you will:

• Learn how people living with dementia communicate their needs and feelings through challenging behaviors as the ability to use language is lost, and how to change resistance by using support and skill
• Be introduced to the “Six Pieces of the Puzzle” problem-solving approach
• Learn better communication skills when working with people living with dementia by emphasizing the value of empathetic and supportive communication
• How to reduce or minimize unproductive conversations and resistive behaviors using effective verbal and physical skills

Online Learning Dashboard

A dementia diagnosis does not mean that one’s ability to enjoy life disappears in a flash. However, as the disease progresses and abilities decline, sustaining a high quality of life can be challenging for both the person living with dementia as well as the care partner (or provider). Offering support and providing care can rob both parties of what is needed to find pleasure, meaning, and value in living well as a partnership. As a 30+ year senior care veteran, Teepa L. Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA offers practical tips and insights, using her Positive Approach™ techniques, you can use to help you both continue to enjoy a purposeful, rewarding life.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to: 

• Understand the challenges and possibilities for change at each stage of dementia
• Understand the processes of grief and loss that are often experienced when a loved one is living with dementia
• Use Teepa’s GEMS®: Brain Change Model to understand behaviors as they relate to stages of dementia including Alzheimer’s. Focus on a person’s needs and retained abilities and use “helping” behaviors to promote a sense of control and self-direction
• Tailor activities to match the skill level of a person living with dementia

Online Learning Dashboard

In The Journey of Dementia you will learn how to:

• Make the most of doctor visits
• Get proper screenings to determine the stage of the disease and the best level-appropriate care
• Look for vital legal and financial documents that need to be prepared before the disease progresses
• Give the best possible support during emergencies
• Determine when and if facility placement is the best choice
• Find the best End of Life care
• Create balanced and appropriate activities

Online Learning Dashboard

Are you caring for someone living with dementia that is starting to struggle with figuring out the world around them? Offering home care support for someone with mid to later stage dementia can be tough. In this course, Teepa L. Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA offers practical tips and insights for managing the environment, tasks, objects, and interactions using her Positive Approach™ techniques, to help you offer the greatest help and quality of life to the person in your care.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Offer the most gentle yet effective personal care assistance that builds trust
• Evaluate mobility & skills needed in and around the home for safety
• Find the right balance between assisting and encouraging the person to do as much as possible on their own
• Set up the home environment to reduce safety risks
• Create activities that make the person feel needed and valued

Online Learning Dashboard

In “Progression of Dementia” Teepa explains: how to tell apart different disease stages to better adapt your caregiving techniques, why people in later stages can’t relax their muscles and how to safely handle them to avoid bruising, how to reduce the risk of falls, how to safeguard your relationship with the person in your care as the disease progresses, how to reduce unwanted behaviors by controlling the environment and effectively shifting their focus, about appropriate activities.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Recognize the importance of matching the care support and cueing needed to the combination of lost and retained abilities of the person with dementia to optimize quality of life for all involved
• Describe typical progression patterns for changing abilities in combination with support and environmental changes that foster best performance while providing safety mechanisms and support that is typically needed
• Discuss the impact of changes in brain function on behavior, communication and interaction skills, visual processing, functional abilities, memory, reasoning, and decision making abilities as dementia progresses, emphasizing what is available and preserved

Online Learning Dashboard

In this recorded webinar, Teepa Snow will focus on working with a person who does not appreciate, understand, or see the value of getting clean when it involves another person assisting or helping them. Common errors and mistakes will be addressed that we might be making in our efforts to support and communicate that trigger strong and physical reactions will be addressed. An emphasis will be placed on recognizing cues and indicators of escalating distress and confusion. Common interactions and outcomes will be compared to more positive and effective engagements and results. The session features action simulations and case discussions with demonstration of specific supportive techniques and strategies.

Online Class

For the first time in history, people living with developmental disabilities and intellectual disabilities since childhood are experiencing full life spans. As this happens, we are recognizing a growing special population of people who are living with dementia. In this recorded webinar, Teepa Snow will discuss early signs of dementia in this population, review helpful supports and options, and demonstrate approaches that can make a difference.

By the end of this class, you will be able to:

• Understand situations and challenges specific to people with developmental and intellectual disabilities who may be living with dementia
• Describe examples of early dementia symptoms in this population
• Discuss several supports and approaches that may be used to help those living with dementia and other disabilities

Online Class

This class was created to help you identify the difference between simple entertainment and engaging projects that stimulate brain activity. The goal is to help you become aware of the special kinds of programs that are crated for challenging behaviors and for individuals with early onset dementia. This class is full of indispensable ideas and tips empowering you to give back moments of joy.

By the end of this class, you will be able to:

• Identify what makes an activity engaging and valuable
• Discuss how to create an inviting and safe environment
• Set up an effective activity schedule
• Identify which key activities to consider at different Gems states
• Successfully handle challenging situations, such as individuals with early onset, tendencies for elopement, distress, falls, and more
• Help your loved one, or any person living with dementia, feel needed
• Find resources need to succeed
• Practice and improve your care partner skills

Online Class

Over the past 5-10 years, significant progress has been made in differential diagnosis and in tailoring treatments and interventions to each type of dementia. Current understanding is that labeling someone as having “dementia” in the early stages of the condition is inadequate for best quality care management.

This session is designed to provide information about the various forms of frontotemporal dementias (FTDs), focusing on Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Teepa Snow will highlight the importance of noticing early signs of changes in cognition and behavior that are NOT consistent with normal aging.

Psychiatric conditions and symptoms, depression, delirium, and dementia will be discussed. You will learn specific and distinguishing characteristics of FDTs and TBI and how care and expectations may need to be changed for these conditions and mixed picture dementias in which brain changes of more than one cause of dementia occur simultaneously.

Objectives:

• Distinguish dementias, TBI, psychiatric conditions, and acute medical situations, and “normal aging” changes in brain functions and observed behaviors and sensory processing
• Describe similarities and differences among various FTD conditions and TBI
• Explore TBI – regarding initial symptoms, progression patterns, and management and hands-on treatment strategies

Online Class

Using music and rhythm to build relationships, aid in transitions, initiate or complete tasks, and provide rest and restoration is the focus of this recorded webinar. Each care partner has the potential to use music and rhythm to enhance their skill set and better help a person living with dementia. Teepa Snow will help you challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone to provide a person with what is most helpful as dementia changes their abilities.

Online Class

This class was created to help care partners learn how a person with dementia perceives their environment and how to properly adapt one’s own behavior to improve communication and the person’s quality of life. The goal is to learn techniques to improve communication, encourage mutual understanding, and manage distress.

By the end of this class, you will be able to:

• Discriminate between forgetfulness in normal aging versus Alzheimer’s, Lewy Body Dementia (LBD), Fronto-Temporal Dementia (FTD), Vascular Dementia, Delirium, and Depression
• Demonstrate Teepa’s Positive Physical Approach™ (PPA™) to decrease the risk of distress
• Discuss commonly occurring behaviors and recommended and preferred responses
•  Appreciate the importance of the cueing sequence Visual-Verbal-Touch that is especially important during later stages of the disease 
• Identify the important steps of approaching a person with dementia in an effective and helpful manner 

Online Class

This class was created to help you learn how to actively reduce your risk for dementia. You will learn about risk factors, brain exercises, physical and cognitive activity, nutrition, and diet. You will also learn about important lifestyle choices affecting brain health, even after diagnosis.

The goal is to discover the three lifestyle choices that affect your dementia risk and understand how to recognize early warning signs, such as changes in memory, thinking or judgments, personality, speech, sleep, or appetite. Discover the connection between the brain and the heart, and how brain-friendly nutrition and diet choices can improve your brain function.

By the end of this class, you will be able to:

• Describe the effects of dementia on the brain
• Understand your risk of developing dementia
• Identify the top three lifestyle choices that affect your dementia risk
• Understand the connection between the heart and the brain
• Make brain-friendly nutrition and diet choices
• Discuss additional lifestyle choices that can affect brain health
• Recognize early warning signs such as changes in memory, thinking, judgments, personality, speech, sleep, or appetite
• Know how you can continue to enjoy your life even if you have been diagnosed

Online Class

Meaningful days matter to all people. This need does not change for someone who is living with dementia. During this course you will learn the four categories of activity that help human beings feel valued, productive and purposeful, not only for the person living with dementia, but also for the care partner.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• List the four categories of activities that help human beings feel valued, productive and purposeful
• Create balanced activities for the person living with dementia that match their abilities
• Understand the importance of self-care 

Online Learning Dashboard

In this recorded webinar, Teepa Snow discusses the care challenges of helping a person living with dementia take medications and receive appropriate nutrition. You will learn about common issues with medications and mealtimes from the Diamond through Pearl GEMS states. You will also learn the important aspects to consider, such as information the person has previously communicated about their preferences and the current state of their health and dementia. Teepa will help you recognize the importance of maintaining the big picture of the purpose and goal of the food, hydration, and medications.

By the end of this class, you will be able to:

• List common challenges involving medications and nutrition in dementia care
• Describe the purpose of knowing the person’s past and current preferences for medications and mealtimes
• Discuss the significance of maintaining and updating the goals for each individual involving food, hydration, and medications

Online Class

Music is an available and powerful resource that can lift spirits, stimulate or calm behavior, and provide meaningful connection even when communication is limited. Because rhythm is typically a preserved skill for those living with dementia, music becomes the gift and is a valuable tool if you know how to use it.

During this online activity, you will learn:

• When utilized with an activity, music can promote a sense of value, and meaning or purpose.
• Music can help relax, calm, or change a mood when used in leisure or quiet times.
• Music allows a brain to organize, promoting arousal and movement for those who may have trouble getting started or energized.
• Emotional memories are hard-wired in the brain rhythmically.
• Music is an effective and often quick way to elicit a sense of peace, joy, remembrance, and positive feelings for everyone.

Online Learning Dashboard

Oral care has recently been identified as an issue much earlier in dementia than previously assumed. As dementia progresses, the oral care challenges experienced by both family and professional care partners tend to increase. In this recorded webinar, Teepa Snow will review the factors that contribute to the challenges of oral hygiene care when dementia is involved. You will learn options and techniques for oral care at various GEMS states. Grab a toothbrush, floss, and a willing partner to get the most out of this session!

By the end of this class, you will be able to:

• Identify potential oral care issues in the early states of dementia
• Discuss oral care challenges in the later states of dementia
• Describe techniques and methods for improving oral care interactions at various GEMS states

Online Class

In this recorded webinar, Teepa Snow will address the topic of personal care throughout the GEMS states of dementia. Assisting someone with undressing, getting clean, and getting dressed again is not nearly as simple as when we do it for ourselves! In this webinar, you will learn the skills and abilities that are required for personal care, and the ways in which changes in abilities during dementia progression affect the ability to do these tasks by oneself. You will also learn how to better provide assistance during personal care to increase the chance for positive interactions and outcomes.

By the end of this class, you will be able to:

• Identify the skills needed to perform personal care tasks
• Describe how changes in skill during dementia progression affect personal care abilities
• Discuss techniques to improve outcomes during assisting with personal care

Online Class

Primary Progressive Aphasia is all about language, or the lack thereof. In this recorded webinar, Teepa Snow will discuss the challenges that arise when words do not work the way they did or should. You will learn the differences between various forms of Primary Progressive Aphasia and determine how to effectively connect and communicate when someone is living with the loss of formal language skills.

By the end of this online class, you will be able to:

• Describe challenges that occur due to loss of verbal language skills
• Explain the differences in the various forms of Primary Progressive Aphasia
• Discuss several options to help manage challenging situations when verbal language skill is diminished or lost

Online Class

In this recorded webinar, Teepa Snow will discuss the three D’s: Delirium, Depression/Anxiety, and Dementia. Each of these conditions has a unique onset, duration, impact on alertness, and set of potential causes and treatment recommendations. You will learn to recognize the characteristics, similarities, and differences among these three conditions and the importance of providing the best possible care and responding effectively when changes are noted.

By the end of this class, you will be able to:

• Describe the value and importance of obtaining the correct diagnosis for an individual
• Compare and contrast among the conditions of delirium, depression/anxiety, and dementia
• Describe simple screening and assessment strategies that may be used to identify the conditions

Online Class

Teepa Snow: Seeing It from the Other Side is a series of courses based on training materials developed by Teepa L. Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, dementia care and training specialist. This series offers comprehensive content and teaches the HOW when it comes to caring for individuals living with a changing brain. Teepa Snow’s tried and true philosophy and techniques offer a dementia care solution that can result in a more positive person-centered culture, and improves quality of life for people living with dementia, their families and their caregivers.

Modules Include:

• Chapter 1: 3 Responses to Dementia
• Chapter 2: The Caregiving Agenda
• Chapter 3: Normal Aging
• Chapter 4: What’s Not Normal
• Chapter 5: The Right and Left Brain
• Chapter 6: Determining Dementia
• Chapter 7: The Umbrella of Dementia
• Chapter 8: Brain Failure
• Chapter 9: Teepa’s Gems®
• Chapter 10: Positive Physical Approach™
• Chapter 11: Hand-under-Hand™ Technique
• Chapter 12: Thrive to Survive
• Chapter 13: Changing Habits
• Chapter 14: Eating with Hand-under-Hand™
• Chapter 15: Challenging Behaviors

Online Learning Dashboard

This class focuses on what happens when someone living with dementia goes to the hospital. Unfortunately, your loved one will more than likely have multiple visits to the hospital, but not directly because of dementia. Most visits are caused by other conditions such as falls, hip fractures, pneumonia, or other injuries. The goal of this class is to help you understand why hospital stays can be the most dangerous place for someone living with dementia, and how you can help change that problem.

By the end of this class, you will know:

• What to discuss with family members and how to work as a team with the hospital staff
• How to ask the right questions and make the best choices when speaking with the doctor
• What drugs are commonly prescribed in hospitals that can have severe side effects for a person living with dementia
• How to detect pain and find comforting solutions
• Why it is important to have a standing order for Tylenol rather than a PRN
• Why having a feeding tube is not the best outcome
• How to discuss who should be in the hospital with your loved one and if they should be there in shifts for full coverage 

Online Class

Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) is one of the most missed and misdiagnosed types of dementia. In this recorded webinar, Teepa Snow will help you recognize the possible presence of LBD and gain strategies to improve quality of life in the presence of this unpredictable dementia.

By the end of this class, you will be able to:

• Describe characteristic signs and symptoms of LBD
• Understand situations and challenges specific to LBD
• Discuss strategies for improving interactions and outcomes when LBD is involved

Online Class

In this recorded webinar, Teepa Snow will review symptoms that may signal the presence of specific dementias. You will gain structure and knowledge to help you determine if symptoms are part of a pattern of a specific dementia or something else that is not related.

By the end of this class, you will be able to:

• Identify the importance of diagnosing the specific type of dementia, when possible
• Discuss early symptoms of some specific types of dementias
• Describe a structure for identifying patterns in symptom

Online Class

Are you caring for an older adult whose abilities seem to be changing? As a loving and devoted care partner or family member of a person living with dementia, it is important to know when it’s time to seek professional care or look for a senior care community.

Being a 30+ year senior care veteran, Teepa Snow offers the honest, no-nonsense insights needed to make the right choice. Learn how to recognize the tell-tale signs when it might be time to transition to another level of care, and get her time-tested communication tips to reduce the chance of conflict when it’s time to talk about this with the person living with dementia and other members of the family.

By the end of this class, you will know:

• How to determine the best level of care and the level of skill required of the staff
• How to set up a smooth transition
• Which likes and dislikes are important to know about the person living with dementia
• How to utilize the four Fs and four Ss to ensure your loved one’s needs are being met

Online Class

Alzheimer’s and other dementias cause memory, thinking, and behavior changes that interfere with daily living. Learn about common warning signs of Alzheimer’s and what symptoms to look for in yourself and others, as well as tips to approach someone who is experiencing changes in their memory, the benefit of early detection and diagnosis, and more.

ALZ Online Class | En Español

This class is presented by the Alzheimer’s Association® in collaboration with Oregon Care Partners.

When someone is showing signs of dementia, it’s time to talk. Our Dementia Conversations class is designed to help you talk with your family about some challenging and often uncomfortable topics around Alzheimer’s and dementia, for example, going to the doctor to get a diagnosis or medical care or making plans for managing finances and legal documents. Join us and learn some tips for breaking the ice and setting the stage for meaningful and productive conversations about dementia.

Some of the most difficult conversations to have are about:

• Going to the doctor to get a diagnosis or medical care
• Deciding when it is necessary to stop driving
• Making plans for managing finances and legal documents to be sure the person’s wishes are carried out and the costs of future care are covered

ALZ Webinars | ALZ Online Class

This class is presented by the Alzheimer’s Association® in collaboration with Oregon Care Partners.

Communication is more than just talking and listening — it’s also about sending and receiving messages through attitude, tone of voice, facial expressions and body language. As people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias progress in their journey and the ability to use words is lost, families need new ways to connect.

• Learn the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on the brain’s ability to process information and respond to stimuli
• Learn helpful communication techniques to use in each stage of the disease process
• Understand the importance of non-verbal communication when interacting with someone with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia

Join us to explore how communication takes place when someone has Alzheimer’s, learn to decode the verbal and behavioral messages delivered by someone with dementia and identify strategies to help you connect and communicate at each stage of the disease.

ALZ Webinars | ALZ Online Class

This class is presented by the Alzheimer’s Association® in collaboration with Oregon Care Partners.

Join us to learn about the latest research providing insights into how to make lifestyle choices that may help you keep your brain and body healthy as you age, and use hands-on tools to help you incorporate these recommendations into a plan for healthy aging. For centuries, we’ve known that the health of the brain and the body are connected. But now, science is able to provide insights into how to make lifestyle choices that may help you keep your brain and body healthy as you age. Join us to learn about research in the areas of diet and nutrition, exercise, cognitive activity and social engagement, and use hands-on tools to help you incorporate these recommendations into a plan for healthy aging. 

ALZ Online Class

This class is presented by the Alzheimer’s Association® in collaboration with Oregon Care Partners.

The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease makes planning for the future more important than ever. In this class, you will have a chance to learn about important legal and financial issues to consider, how to put plans in place and how to access legal and financial resources near you.

This class will cover information for families and individuals dealing with Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia. Topics covered will include:

• Making legal plans that fit your need
• Legal documents you’ll need and what they mean for you
• How to find legal and financial assistance
• Practical strategies for making a long-term plan of care
• Tax deductions and credits
• Government programs that can help pay for care

ALZ Webinars | ALZ Online Class

This class is presented by the Alzheimer’s Association® in collaboration with Oregon Care Partners.

In the early stage of Alzheimer’s disease, families face new questions as they adjust. What does the diagnosis mean? What kinds of plans need to be made? What resources are available to help? Join us for this class to hear practical answers to the questions that arise in the early stage. Hear from those directly affected and learn what you can do to cope with the changes that come with an early-stage diagnosis.

• Learn the symptoms and care needs associated with the early stage of Alzheimer’s disease
• Understand the legal, financial and resource planning that needs to be done in the early stage
• Learn the components of a care team and how to work with each component during the early stage of the disease

ALZ Online Class

This class is presented by the Alzheimer’s Association® in collaboration with Oregon Care Partners.

In the middle stage of Alzheimer’s disease, those who were care partners now become hands-on caregivers. Join us for this class and hear caregivers and professionals discuss helpful strategies to provide safe, effective and comfortable care in the middle stage of Alzheimer’s.

• Learn the symptoms and care needs associated with the middle stage of Alzheimer’s disease
• Understand the relationship changes that occur in the middle stage
• Learn how to maximize safety, prepare for emergencies and access respite care
• Learn effective ways to provide personal care and manage challenging behaviors

ALZ Online Class

This class is presented by the Alzheimer’s Association® in collaboration with Oregon Care Partners.

In the late stage of Alzheimer’s disease, caregiving typically involves new ways of connecting and interacting with the person with the disease. Join us for this class to hear from caregivers and professionals about resources, monitoring care and providing meaningful connection for individuals with late-stage Alzheimer’s and their families.

• Learn the symptoms and care needs associated with the late stage of Alzheimer’s disease
• Learn a new way of thinking about late stage Alzheimer’s disease which individualizes care and increases the focus on the person’s “self” rather than just physical care management
• Learn effective ways to communicate, connect with and provide daily care for your loved one in the late stage
• Understand the late stage care options and how to access those resources and evaluate them

ALZ Online Class

This class is presented by the Alzheimer’s Association® in collaboration with Oregon Care Partners.

In the United States alone, more than 5 million individuals are living with Alzheimer’s and 16 million are serving as their unpaid caregivers. The disease is a global crisis that impacts numerous families right here in our community. However, no one has to face this disease alone or without information.

The Alzheimer’s Association® has created an education program covering the basics of Alzheimer’s and dementia to provide a general overview for people who are facing a diagnosis as well as those who wish to be informed.

The Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia program:

• Explores the relationship between Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
• Examines what happens in a brain affected by Alzheimer’s.
• Details the risk factors for and three general stages of the disease.
• Identifies FDA-approved treatments available to treat some symptoms.
• Looks ahead to what’s on the horizon for Alzheimer’s research.
• Offers helpful Alzheimer’s Association resources.

ALZ Webinars | ALZ Online Class | En Español

This class is presented by the Alzheimer’s Association® in collaboration with Oregon Care Partners.

Behavior is a powerful form of communication and is one of the primary ways for people with dementia to communicate their needs and feelings as the ability to use language is lost. However, some behaviors can present real challenges for caregivers to manage. Join us to learn to decode behavioral messages and strategies to help intervene with some of the most common behavioral challenges of Alzheimer’s disease. 

• Learn how to identify common triggers for behaviors associated with dementia 
• Learn how to assess and identify challenging behaviors 
• Learn strategies to address common dementia-related behaviors

ALZ Webinars | ALZ Online Class

This class is presented by the Alzheimer’s Association® in collaboration with Oregon Care Partners.

In this webinar series, Oregon Care Partners’ expert instructors and guest presenters share easy-to-understand information and help answer your questions on a variety of topics related to caring for family member. Join the series twice monthly on Tuesday evenings from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm to gain ideas and insights and create a sense of community with other Oregon family caregivers.

Webinars

Bathing is a very personal and private aspect of activities of daily living, or ADL, care. As such caregivers need to understand how they can make this experience more comfortable and relaxing to the individual. Caregivers should follow the proper steps during bathing and ensure safety during the experience as well.

After taking this course, you should be able to:

• Recognize the health benefits of assisting with a tub bath or shower.
• List the steps involved in assisting with a tub bath or shower.

Online Learning Dashboard

The routines of daily life such as eating, bathing, and getting dressed are essential to functioning. All adults strive to independently accomplish these tasks to live life fully. However, there are times when individuals will need the help of others, such as caregivers. As a caregiver, you need to know how to help others dress so that you can do so as the need arises. In this course, you will learn about assisting with dressing and undressing as well as how to promote independence while assisting with dressing.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• List the steps involved in assisting an individual with undressing and dressing.
• Identify guidelines to follow when assisting individuals with dressing or undressing.

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Watch this series of short videos featuring healthcare professionals demonstrating the steps for providing the following care:

• Basic Care Skills: Pain
• Basic Care Skills: Skin Care
• How to Perform Range of Motion Exercises

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One of the common tasks involved in caregiving is basic environmental cleaning in the home. In this course, you will learn how to safely and effectively complete some of the most common cleaning tasks, including infection control and safety principles associated with the use of chemicals.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to

• Explain the procedure for performing basic cleaning tasks
• Describe safety precautions to take when performing cleaning tasks

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Every day you encounter a number of harmful germs capable of making you and others in your environment sick. So how to you protect yourself and others from these harmful germs? By following proper infection control practices. Hand hygiene is the single most important infection control measure to prevent the spread of germs. In this course, you will learn when hand hygiene is necessary as well as the correct procedure for hand washing and the use of alcohol-based hand rubs.

In this course, you will learn how to:

• Identify situations in which hand hygiene is necessary
• Demonstrate the correct procedures for both hand washing and the use of alcohol-based hand rubs

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Giving someone a bath leaves the individual clean and fresh with an improved appearance, promotes circulation, can improve feelings of self-worth, and provides an opportunity for socialization. This course presents the procedure for giving a complete bed bath.

After taking this course, you should be able to:

• Identify when giving a complete bed bath is appropriate.
• Demonstrate the steps for giving a complete bed bath.

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Nail and foot care are essential to maintaining good personal hygiene. Routine nail care can help remove the bacteria from under nail beds and help prevent ingrown toenails and hangnails. Regular foot care can also prevent dryness and cracking of the feet. This course discusses the importance of nail and foot care. It also discusses how to perform nail and foot care.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Recognize the purpose of providing good nail and foot care.

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Oral care is an important task included in the daily activity of grooming. However, it is often an aspect of care that does not get the attention it deserves. This course will discuss the importance of oral care as well as the procedure involved.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Identify the importance of oral hygiene.
• Explain the procedure to follow when brushing and flossing.

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Good oral hygiene keeps mouth, gums, and teeth healthy. Well cared for dentures are just as important to a healthy mouth as natural teeth. For this reason, dentures should be cleaned and maintained just as often as natural teeth. As a caregiver, you may be required to assist those who have difficulty performing oral hygiene tasks such as cleaning dentures. Some may only require gentle encouragement and verbal cues, while others may require you to fully perform the denture cleaning. This course has been prepared with this objective in mind. This course corresponds to the Federal regulations F310, F311, F312, G226, & L543.

After taking this course, you should be able to:

• Identify at least three observations noted during oral hygiene that should be reported to the nurse.
• Recognize the steps needed to assist with or perform denture care.

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This course teaches caregivers how to better care for themselves and identify signs of stress. This course is designed to help build greater self-esteem and coping skills and ultimately a stronger caregiving team.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Recognize signs of stress
• Describe how caregiving can build self esteem
• Identify tips for preventing caregiver burnout

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This purpose of this course is to familiarize the learner with basic information about stress management, particularly for caregivers. Information on stress and its effect on the body, including stress reactions, is provided. This course will help caregivers to recognize the sources of stress within the five realms of experience and explain how to care for oneself. This course provides caregivers with a better understanding of stress and recognizes strategies and techniques for managing stress.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Define stress and its effect on the body
• Identify underlying stress reactions, including the fight, flight, and freeze response
• Distinguish between positive and negative stress
• Recognize sources of stress for the caregiver, including individual, interpersonal, and organizational causes
• Match stress reactions to the five realms of experience, and explain how to care for oneself within each of these realms
• Recognize strategies and techniques for managing stress

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Caring for another person is serious business, so what do you do when someone is expressing challenging behaviors that can cause either physical or emotional harm to themselves or others? In this instructor-led webinar, an expert will guide you through understanding the causes of challenging behaviors and teach methods to appropriately intervene.

This webinar is designed to help anyone who cares for an aging Oregonian better manage challenging behaviors that are common among older adults.

In this webinar, you will:

• Learn to identify and manage common challenging behaviors such as anger, yelling and physical aggression
• Learn to recognize and respond to unmet needs that lead to challenging behaviors
• Understand how verbal and non-verbal communication impacts a person’s behavior
• Learn effective communication strategies to use when someone is expressing a challenging behavior

Webinars

The behavioral symptoms and functional decline that are commonly associated with Alzheimer’s disease are two of the greatest challenges for caregivers. Choosing the appropriate response in both areas involves using person-centered care strategies. In this course, you will learn the various levels of functional ability in persons with Alzheimer’s disease as well as the guidelines you must follow when providing care. In addition, you will learn about identifying the meaning of behaviors and strategies and techniques that you can use to address behavioral symptoms. While this course references Alzheimer’s disease, the concepts and interventions discussed can apply to all forms of dementia.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:  

• List strategies to manage caregiver stress
• Identify changes in ADL ability in each of the 3 stages of Alzheimer’s disease
• Describe general and specific strategies for success when assisting individuals with activities of daily living
• Explain how to identify the meaning of behaviors
• Use person-centered strategies and techniques to address behaviors

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The personality and behavioral changes that commonly accompany Alzheimer’s disease are one of the greatest challenges for caregivers. Choosing the appropriate response for the behavior involves using person-centered care strategies. Your response to behaviors can make a big difference in the quality of life for a person living with Alzheimer’s disease. Keep in mind that every individual with Alzheimer’s disease is a unique person with varying abilities and needs that change over time as the disease progresses (Alzheimer’s Association, 2016). In this course, you will learn about behavioral symptoms as a form of communication, the role that understanding the meaning of these behaviors plays in providing person-centered care, and strategies and techniques that you can use to address behavioral symptoms. While this course references Alzheimer’s disease, the concepts and interventions discussed can apply to all forms of dementia.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Explain the concepts used to identify the meaning of behaviors
• Use person-centered strategies and techniques to address behaviors
• List strategies to manage caregiver stress

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This course covers how to provide support to developmentally disabled individuals with behavioral challenges. Topics include defining a behavior, cycle of behavior, preventing a behavior, communication variables, and intervention variables.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Identify at least two possible causes of adverse behavior.
• Explain the four-stage cycle behind all behaviors.
• Describe at least two behavioral components of care for people with developmental disabilities.

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The purpose of this class is to familiarize you with the care of persons living with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. This class will help you understand behavior as the language of dementia. You will learn strategies for interpreting behavior as communication, and problem-solving approaches to addressing behavioral expressions of distress, including pain.

In this class you will learn to:

• Explain how Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia affect communication
• Recognize how to communicate effectively with persons who are not able to communicate through verbal language
• List examples of behavioral expressions of distress
• Explain reasons why a person may communicate distress, including pain
• Identify approaches for responding to behavioral expressions of distress and challenging behaviors
• Describe the problem-solving approach to responding to challenging behaviors
• State why approaching from the front is important in caring for a person living with dementia
• List alternatives to restraints

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Alzheimer’s disease not only affects the lives of those with the disease but also changes the lives of their family members. The emotional and physical toll of providing care for basic activities to a once independent loved one can be overwhelming. Caring for the person with Alzheimer’s disease also means caring for the family, but remember that all families handle situations differently and their needs will vary. In this module, you will learn about the issues that family members face when a loved one has Alzheimer’s disease and ways you can help them through this often turbulent time. Additionally, you will learn about common ethical issues that may arise when caring for people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Recognize issues facing family members of people with Alzheimer’s disease
• Identify resources and strategies for assisting family members with the issues they are facing
• State common ethical dilemmas you may face when caring for people with Alzheimer’s disease and their families

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The purpose of this course is to familiarize the learner with ethical principles related to caring for persons living with dementia. Information about the ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, justice, and non-maleficence is presented. The course engages the learner in distinguishing how to apply these principles in the care setting.

In this lesson you will:

• Explain the ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, justice, and non-maleficence
• Distinguish between and indicate how ethical principles may be applied in the care setting

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In any care setting, the person(s) in your care have rights – rights to privacy, dignity, independence and respect, among other things. In this training, you will learn about your client’s rights, HIPAA requirements and understand your duties as a caregiver in protecting those rights.  

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Protect a clients’ rights
• Understand HIPAA and confidentiality
• Understand the role of the Ombudsman
• Understand how restraints violate clients’ rights

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You have the ethical and legal responsibility to protect the rights of the people under your care. This course discusses the rights the people you care for have and ways you can protect these rights.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Discuss the rights of people cared for by your healthcare organization.
• Identify steps you can take to protect the rights of those cared for by your healthcare organization.

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The government has created policies ensuring that all people have certain rights, protections, and freedoms. These rights, protections, and freedoms support people to live their life based on their own values, priorities, needs, and goals. Every person, regardless of their age, health, gender, race, or ability, has the same rights. You have the ethical and legal responsibility to protect the rights of the people your organization takes care of. This course discusses residents’ rights as well as how you can support and protect these rights for all of the individuals in your organization.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Identify the rights of individuals cared for by your healthcare organization.
• Describe the steps you can take to protect the rights of those cared for by your healthcare organization.

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How does your personal communication style impact the person in your care, especially those who are experiencing challenging behaviors? This intensive, self-discovery webinar will focus on identifying your individual style of communication and how you read and respond to stressful situations. An expert instructor will help you see how biases, belief systems and assumptions can impact how you respond to a challenging behavior and will help you learn how changing your behavior and finding new ways to respond can create a more positive outcome.

This webinar guides you through methods to appropriately evaluate and navigate personal communication styles and the impact those styles have on the person in your care, particularly those experiencing challenging behaviors.

In this webinar, you will:

• Learn to recognize and respond to unmet needs that lead to challenging behaviors
• Learn how personal styles of communication can impact another person’s behavior
• Learn how personal biases, beliefs, and assumptions can impact how you respond to a challenging behavior

Webinars

Alzheimer’s disease affects many aspects of an individual’s life. A major change that will occur due to Alzheimer’s disease is the ability to communicate. As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, communication with family members and caregivers becomes increasingly challenging. In this module, you will learn how this disease affects communication skills as well as strategies you can use for verbal and non-verbal communication. You will also learn strategies for communicating with someone who is non-communicative.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Explain how Alzheimer’s disease affects communication skills
• Identify strategies and guidelines for communicating both verbally and non-verbally with those with Alzheimer’s disease
• Define validation therapy and state its usefulness when communicating with those who have Alzheimer’s disease

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Communication plays an important role in the professional care environment. How you send information and how the person in your care receives the information will greatly impact your ability to establish a trusting relationship. In this course you will learn the core principles of communication and how it impacts professional relationships. A key component of providing quality care is understanding the importance of “being present” and remembering, always, people come first.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Define communication
• Identify the benefits of effective communication
• Learn how personal styles of communication can impact another person’s behavior
• Identify verbal and nonverbal communication methods
• List techniques for improving communication
• List the ten rules of active listening
• Describe steps for resolving miscommunications
• Understand observing and respecting other people’s cultures are vital for healthy communication

Online Learning Dashboard

Dementia gradually destroys the areas of the brain responsible for sending and receiving messages, making communication difficult. There are guidelines that you can follow to ensure effective communication with persons with dementia, even those who have severe cognitive impairments. In this course, you will learn how to understand the person with dementia by knowing them as an individual and recognizing common speech patterns, how persons with dementia use behaviors for communicating discomfort, and the communication strategies you can employ to ensure the person receives your message.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:               

• Give two examples of common communication changes people with dementia exhibit
• Describe how knowing the person with dementia as an individual, not as a disease, promotes effective communication
• Describe the techniques for communicating more effectively with people with dementia

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The purpose of this course is to familiarize the learner with techniques and skills for communicating with others and to enhance listening skills. Information on barriers to communication, active listening, and how to talk with professionals and families is presented. The course engages learners in learning how to resolve conflicts.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Explain the basic concepts on how people communicate
• Name common barriers to communication
• Identify actions to enhance active listening
• Select examples of non-verbal behaviors that impact communication
• Recognize how to successfully talk with physicians, pharmacists, and other professionals
• Explain how to talk with families
• Identify ways to resolve conflicts

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“Beyond Cultural Awareness” is an introduction to exploring our own culturally bound beliefs. This interactive and engaging training fosters meaningful conversations and provides tools that support equity, embrace diversity, and encourage us to find real ways to be more inclusive.

This training will provide opportunities to challenge, expand, and enhance comprehension of diversity and inclusivity, which in turn leads to more ethical and compassionate interactions and increased potential for equity, dignity, and improved well-being for all.

Upon completion of this webinar you will be able to know and do the following:

• Consider your own cultural beliefs and practices that influence conscious and unconscious bias, discrimination, and racism and understand the impact on caregiving.
• Identify subjective beliefs and personal values in relation to the needs of differing cultures, ethnic groups, age, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and physical ability.
• Describe ways to develop and put into place cultural humility, genuine respect, equity, and inclusion.
• Develop a plan of action for engaging others and c

Webinars

Cultural competence is a set of academic and personal skills that allows a care professional to increase their understanding and appreciation of cultural differences between and within groups. These skills combine respectful and thoughtful inquiry with attentive listening. This presentation will provide you the knowledge needed to provide culturally competent hospice and palliative care, not by learning about a particular group of people or memorizing a set of expected behaviors and attitudes, but through developing an ability to know an individual within the context of their cultural background and interacting appropriately.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Explain the impact of culture on palliative care
• Describe 3 components to the cultural assessment in palliative care
• Discuss 3 ways you can provide culturally competent care as a palliative care professional
• Describe special cultural considerations in hospice and palliative care

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The purpose of this course is to bring awareness regarding cultural diversity as it relates to the care of older adults. This course presents terminology and the characteristics of culture. The learner will be challenged to think about how an awareness of cultural diversity may impact care. How to approach care that is culturally sensitive with cultural competence is reviewed. Cultural competence skills are discussed to help the learner achieve success when caring for culturally diverse older adult populations. This course aims to help ensure that each person cared for by the learner receives individualized and respectful culturally appropriate care.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Define cultural diversity, awareness, sensitivity, and competence.
• Explain the importance of respecting cultural diversity when caring for older adults.
• Describe at least three ways to respect cultural diversity when providing care to older adults.

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The purpose of this course is to familiarize the learner with key concepts related to respecting diversity and ways to minimize prejudice and discrimination. Terminology regarding diversity and discrimination will be presented. The course engages the learner in identifying and challenging one’s own prejudices and ways to minimize prejudice and discrimination in the workplace.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Explain the concept of diversity
• Define prejudice, stereotype, and discrimination
• List the ways in which people are diverse
• Identify and challenge your own prejudices
• Recognize the consequences of prejudice
• List tips to minimize prejudice and discrimination in assisted living/residential care communities

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Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Understand cultures in all their diversity
• Realize the importance of cultural heritage
• Communicate effectively with clients from other cultures
• Understand roles and culture
• Implement cultural understanding while working as a caregiver
• Understand the impact of culture on food preference

Online Learning Dashboard

Over the past decade, LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, nonbinary, and other) issues have become more of a focus in the behavioral health field and in the world (Huang, et. al., 2010). The ethical codes of all professional healthcare organizations specifically state that no one should be discriminated against or denied treatment due to sexual orientation or gender identity. While a great many behavioral health professionals now adhere to this guideline, despite best intentions, there is more to being an affirmative practitioner than being accepting and aware.

In this course, you will learn how to practice more affirmatively by addressing the behavioral health needs of LGBTQ+ populations and how to employ relevant, evidence-based interventions effectively. This course will primarily focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer adults but the knowledge you gain can be applied to additional gender identities, sexual orientations and age groups.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Explain the necessary components of competent practice with the LGBTQ+ community
• Define “affirmative practice”
• Identify societal, family, internal, and clinical influences on the experiences of LGBTQ+ populations
• Describe up to 5 specific needs of LGBTQ+ populations mention in this course
• List at least 3 evidence-based interventions for LGBTQ+ populations

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A Day in the Life of Henry is a virtual reality experience for professionals caring for people with dementia. This course will help you experience the reality of care through the eyes of the person living with dementia, allowing you to understand the importance of your interventions and actions.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Understand the reality that a person with dementia lives in and how that reality affects their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
• Understand what life is really like for someone living with dementia, how they perceive their environment, how interactions with caregivers affect their reactions
• Understand the importance of how you approach care for a person living with dementia

Online Learning Dashboard

Activities of daily living, commonly abbreviated ADLs, are the basic life skills learned during childhood. Persons with Alzheimer’s disease, however, will slowly forget or unlearn how to complete these tasks as cognitive impairment progresses. Because of this decline in ability, individuals in the middle to late stages of Alzheimer’s disease will require assistance from you for completion of these tasks. This course will help you better understand how to assist persons with Alzheimer’s disease with ADL completion. In this course, you will learn the various levels of functional ability in persons with Alzheimer’s disease as well as the guidelines you must follow when providing care.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Define activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living
• Identify changes in ADL ability in each of the 3 stages of Alzheimer’s disease
• Describe general strategies for success when assisting individuals with activities of daily living
• Indicate specific strategies to use for each of the ADL tasks

Online Learning Dashboard

Pain is of a personal nature and causes suffering, no matter its origin. Pain can be physical, emotional, social, or spiritual. The effects of unrelieved pain are significant and must be prevented whenever possible. It is your role as a member of the healthcare team to help identify and relieve pain when possible. Knowing the types of pain and the effects of unrelieved pain are important to providing care. The people you care for will be seeking your support as they find the way through their pain event

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Describe the origins of pain
• List three types of pain
• List at least six signs or symptoms of pain
• Explain how to use the numeric pain rating scale
• Discuss current methods of pain control

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This course covers providing personal care. You will learn to assist a client with tasks like bathing, dressing, and grooming, as well as tasks that may or may not be required but will be appreciated. Some of these tasks include back rub, in-bed shampoo, foot care, and nail care.

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The purpose of this course is to help you learn how to assist a person in your care with activities of daily living including, grooming, dressing, bathing, toileting mobility, transfers and more. You will learn the importance of person-centered care for delivering care and special considerations for providing assistance to people living with dementia.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Explain person-centered care
• Recognize the qualities of a good direct care provider
• Identify how to provide assistance with activities of daily living
• Recall special considerations for providing assistance with activities of daily living for those who are living with dementia
• List the most common sites for the development of pressure ulcers
• Identify ways to prevent pressure ulcers

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The purpose of this course is to familiarize the learner with the aging process and its effect on body systems. Information about each body system is presented, including the parts, function, aging changes, and common diseases and conditions related to the system. This course engages the learner in an exploration of the body and care considerations relevant to the aging adult.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• List each body system.
• Recognize the function of each body system.
• Identify aging changes related to each body system.
• Recognize common diseases and conditions associated with each body system.
• List care considerations specific to each body system.

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This class will familiarize you with the care of people living with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia. You will understand the functional levels related to the stages of disease and learn strategies for maximizing independence and active engagement in activities of daily living. You will learn alternative communication methods that a person living with dementia may use to indicate his or her needs and how to identify and address those needs. You will learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of pain, and identify the risk of and strategies to prevent dehydration and malnutrition.

In this class you will learn to:

• Recognize strategies that promote independence through assistance with activities of daily living in the different stages of dementia
• Discuss behavioral signs and symptoms of pain
• Identify person-centered techniques for assisting with personal care
• Recognize effective approaches for bathing, and identify specific techniques for persons living with dementia
• Recognize how to help a person with eating
• Identify common challenges and solutions regarding eating and nutrition with aging adults who are living with dementia
• List signs of malnutrition and dehydration
• Identify how to monitor weight and hydration

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Many older adults are able to walk or remain mobile with the use of ambulatory aids. Ambulatory aids are devices that older adults use to help them move safely and independently. Common ambulatory aids include gait belts, wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, canes, and crutches. This course will familiarize you with the correct use of different ambulatory devices used to ensure your safety and the safety of the person in your care during transfers or while providing support during ambulation.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Recognize the importance of safe handling of older adults
• Explain the use of common mobility devices
• Discuss major safety considerations for each mobility device
• Learn how to assist older adults with the different types of mobility devices
• Describe how to practice back safety when lifting an object or transferring an older adult

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This course will familiarize you with age and dementia related changes that affect the bathing process. You will learn strategies for alleviating behaviors of distress associated with bathing, tactics for promoting independence, and ways to engage the person being cared for in the bathing process. You will also learn important tips for keeping yourself and the person in your care safe during bathing.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Discuss the role of fear in behaviors of distress associated with bathing
• List ways you can prepare to bathe a person that will minimize behaviors of distress
• Explain ways to prevent or diffuse behaviors of distress
• Discuss methods for managing bathing behaviors

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Co-morbidities are a serious concern when caring for people with dementia. In this course you will learn what co-morbidities are and how they affect people with dementia. This course focuses on some of the more common co-morbidities and their signs and symptoms. You will learn your role in assisting the healthcare team manage co-morbidities and, in some cases, prevent them.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Describe five common co-morbidities of dementia
• Describe monitoring strategies for five co-morbidities of dementia
• Recall interventions for five co-morbidities of dementia, including when to inform the healthcare team.

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The purpose of this course is to help you learn how to safely and effectively assist an older adult with elimination and toileting needs. You will learn key concepts related to the digestive and urinary systems, techniques for using assistive devices for toileting, safety principles, specimen collection, and proper skin care after toileting.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Identify components of the digestive and urinary systems, and the role these systems play in normal elimination
• Demonstrate how to safely assist an older adult with toileting
• Identify methods to prevent toileting accidents
• Describe appropriate care for the skin after toileting
• Demonstrate how to assist older adults with special toileting needs

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Encouraging independence is a key part of providing care and a sense of well-being to older adults. Independence begins with providing care that promotes the physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being of the individual. This course discusses methods used for restoring independence using person-centered care. It also discusses the use of assistive devices to help encourage independence. 

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• List three ways to provide care while promoting independence
• Explain how to use at least two types of assistive devices that promote independence

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Are you prepared to respond to an accident, injury, or medical emergency? What will you do if a client is injured, bleeding, or unconscious? Offering someone immediate basic first aid can provide relief until trained emergency medical services arrives. It can even save lives! This course will teach you basic first aid strategies so that you can respond to a range of situations and emergencies. This course is intended to provide general first aid guidelines. It should NOT replace your agency’s policies and procedures.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Recognize steps to take in an emergency situation.
• Describe appropriate responses to these situations.

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Proper positioning helps maintain skin integrity, internal organ function, and comfort. As a caregiver, you will assist individuals with positioning in their bed and chair. This course presents why positioning is important, the positions that can be used, how to assist with positioning using assistive devices and postural supports, and safety precautions to follow.

*Note: Because this course addresses positioning in all care settings, the term plan will be used to represent service plan, plan of care, and care plan in this course.

After taking this course, you should be able to:

• Recall where pressure points are most likely to develop and how pressure injury occurs.
• Describe why repositioning is important.
• Explain risk factors for pressure injury.
• Identify different positions that can be used when repositioning someone.
• Demonstrate proper positioning, including the use of assistive devices and postural supports.
• Recognize safety precautions used to prevent injury when repositioning

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As a caregiver, you will likely need to assist individuals with transferring and repositioning. To ensure both the individual’s and your safety, you must ensure that you follow the proper guidelines.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Describe key aspects when assessing a person for transfer.

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Mealtime is often a very pleasurable experience that not only provides the body nourishment but also serves as an opportunity to socialize with family, friends, and even caregivers. However, it can be especially hazardous for some individuals. The normal aging process, medical conditions or diagnoses, and even certain medications increase the risk of injury or death from choking and aspiration. This course provides an overview of safe swallowing and feeding techniques to help prevent aspiration. It is designed to enhance caregiver knowledge and ensure caregiver competency in providing effective care during meals including measures to take to prevent complications.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Describe dysphagia and aspiration and their warning signs.
• Identify actions to take if someone is coughing or choking.
• Identify techniques used to promote safe swallowing including mealtime preparation and modified diets.
• Describe steps that can improve oral health.

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The “Fatal Five” are a group of preventable conditions that are often fatal for people with intellectual and developmental disability, or IDD. In this course, you will learn what these conditions are and how to prevent them. You will also learn how to recognize them and respond when they do occur.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Define the “Fatal Five” health conditions for people with IDD.
• Describe how to prevent the Fatal Five.
• Describe how to identify and respond to the Fatal Five.

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The purpose of this course is to familiarize you with the correct use of different ambulatory devices which are used to ensure your safety and the safety of the person in your care when transferring or providing support during ambulation.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Explain the use of each of the common mobility devices
• Name 5 suggestions for assisting a resident when in a wheelchair
• Discuss major safety considerations for residents in a wheelchair
• Contrast the differences between an electric wheelchair and a mobility scooter
• Discuss the different types of walkers
• Describe safety considerations for residents who use a walker
• Name the benefits of a quad cane vs. a single point cane
• Describe safety considerations for residents who use a cane
• Briefly describe two types of crutches
• Explain how direct care staff should safely use a gait belt when assisting a resident.
• Briefly describe how to practice back safety when lifting an object or transferring a resident.

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When caring for individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias, you must ensure that you are creating a safe environment for the person to continue living with the highest level of independence possible. In this course, you will learn about principles of care for the person with Alzheimer’s disease and how they relate to the physical environment. You will learn the importance of environmental considerations including, the optimal physical setting, safety, and routine.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Discuss the basic principles of caring for a person living with Alzheimer’s disease
• Describe strategies to create a safe environment for persons living with Alzheimer’s disease
• Discuss the benefits of structured environments and routines in the care of persons living with Alzheimer’s disease

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This course explores how to create an environment that gives the appropriate amount of stimulation and calm for individuals living with dementia, including specific details like color and room design.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Understand how important environment is to the person living with Alzheimer’s in creating a sense of calm and not chaos
• Identify environmental factors that affect people living with dementia
• Utilize environmental cues or signals to assist the person in your care

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This course teaches an understanding of the way a person with Alzheimer’s perceives the world through their senses and how the caregiver can keep their living environment from being too overwhelming or stressful. Learn how consistency with daily activities and a homey atmosphere can bring a sense of calm and safety to the residents’ environment.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Understand the importance of surroundings to the person with a disease that causes dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease
• Provide a consistent environment for the safety and well-being of the person with dementia
• Understand which activities are appropriate for the person with dementia
• Utilize recommendations from the Alzheimer’s Association for a positive, nurturing environment
• Identify risks for falls and use techniques to prevent falls/injuries in people with dementia

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Elder abuse and neglect are more prevalent than you think, and older adults are especially vulnerable. Everyone has a duty to ensure the protection of older adults and to make abuse prevention a top priority. Even if you are not recognized as a mandatory reporter, you have an obligation to fully understand your individual responsibilities, and you must be able to identify abuse and report it in a timely manner. Older adults depend on you to ensure they are safe and also to ensure their living environment is free from abuse and neglect. This course will teach you what you need to do to fulfill your responsibility and to protect those you care for every day.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Discuss the prevalence of abuse
• Define abuse and identify types of abuse and neglect
• Understand why older adults are vulnerable and learn to recognize the signs or indicators of abuse and neglect
• Identify mandatory reporters and understand your responsibility to report suspected and confirmed occurrences of abuse
• Identify ways to prevent abuse or neglect
• Understand the role of Adult Protective Services (APS) and how to use the abuse reporting system

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Emergency preparedness requirements that healthcare organizations have historically been required to follow were deemed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) to be insufficient for emergency preparedness and response. Given this, CMS set out to develop new requirements for healthcare providers that establish a comprehensive, consistent, flexible, and dynamic regulatory approach to emergency preparedness and response. The emergency preparedness requirements set forth by CMS have put in place suppliers and providers to meet the emerging changes in disasters and preparedness throughout the entire nation.

With implementation of the Emergency Preparedness Rule finalized by CMS, healthcare providers are now faced with a new challenge of developing, executing, and demonstrating emergency preparedness requirements that comply with this new rule. This course introduces learners to leading emergency preparedness practices intended to safeguard human resources, maintain business continuity, and protect physical resources, with the desired end-state of achieving CMS rule compliance. The ultimate aim is achieving compliance, along with becoming a more resilient organization with more resilient emergency management practices.

This course assists learners on how to successfully address key rule components, including the risk assessment and emergency plan, policies and procedures, the communications plan, training and testing, and emergency fuel and generator testing.

The goal of this course is to educate administrators and nurses about the key elements for an effective risk assessment.

This course is not a comprehensive overview of the CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule, and learners are expected to be fully apprised of this rule prior to taking this course.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Identify the 17 provider types addressed by the new CMS rule, and the desired end-state
• Explain how leadership influences organizational culture, change, and emergency preparedness.
• Describe the key elements of an effective risk assessment, using an all-hazards approach, to identify priorities and facility-specific considerations to include in the emergency plan
• Identify key steps for effectively developing and managing emergency plans, policies, and procedures.
• Identify the components of an effective communication plan that addresses internal and external communications while preserving protected information and privacy.
• Describe the key components of an effective training and testing program and the rationale for verification and validation that personnel can effectively execute emergency procedures.

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This course does not meet the licensing requirement for new AFH applications.

The purpose of this course is to familiarize you with fire safety and emergency preparedness in the community care setting. You will learn basic fire safety practices, fire emergency response procedures, equipment use, prevention, and emergency preparedness planning.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Discuss the importance of writing a comprehensive fire safety and emergency preparedness plan
• Name and describe the five basic fire safety practices necessary in a facility
• Explain the meaning of the acronym R.A.C.E.
• Name the different classes of fires and the type of fire extinguishers to be used on each
• Explain how to property use a fire extinguisher and describe P.A.S.S.
• Discuss what every staff member should know, including 10 basic fire tips
• Describe the unique differences which administrators must consider when writing an emergency management plan for his/her community
• Explain components of an emergency management and fire safety plan including the details to include when developing and considerations for implementing both plans

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Anything can happen. Most people have heard about various types of emergencies and disasters, but few people expect that they will fall victim to an emergency or disaster. These things only happen to other people, right? But what if today is your unlucky day? What would you do if you heard an explosion at your workplace, or if there were a tornado in your area? Emergencies are common, and they occur each and every day. Disasters occur less frequently, but they result in more destruction. Either can occur at any location and at any time, and they have the potential to cause harm to anyone in their path. Their impact can be devastating. This course is a basic overview of natural disasters and workplace emergencies. It is designed to supplement your awareness of natural disasters and workplace emergencies and to complement your use of workplace-specific emergency plans established by your employer. This course will provide you with important content that you can use to help keep yourself and others safe during emergencies and disasters in the workplace.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Identify at least four common workplace emergencies that could impact your organization.
• Leverage emergency planning and an established workplace plan to take action during an emergency, including steps for evacuating and for sheltering in place.
• Explain some of the advantages and disadvantages of various emergency communication and notification systems.

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This important online training program is designed for law enforcement officers, paramedics, firefighters, disaster relief personnel and other first responders. The Alzheimer’s Association® Approaching Alzheimer’s: First Responder Training will help prepare you to respond to common calls involving a person with Alzheimer’s or related dementias.

Make your first response the right response.

The Alzheimer’s disease epidemic continues to grow, and as a first responder, it’s critical to be prepared to face it in your community. People with Alzheimer’s or related dementias can unknowingly put themselves and others in dangerous situations. Understanding the disease is key to ensuring you make the right response.

This online training will help make first responders’ jobs easier and keep them safer by giving them strategies for working and dealing with community members who have Alzheimer’s or related dementias. 

ALZ Online Class

This class is presented by the Alzheimer’s Association® in collaboration with Oregon Care Partners.

Recognizing symptoms of dementia and knowing how to reduce stress and resistance of people affected with the disease during precarious situations is vital for emergency personnel. Improving Emergency Services for Dementia Patients shows law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs, 911 dispatchers, and emergency room personnel how to best handle challenging behaviors and issues related to abuse or neglect.

In this online class you will learn:

• About Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia
• How to recognize that dementia might be present
• How to best help the person with dementia in cases of abuse, neglect, fraud, theft, wandering/elopement, or medical emergencies
• How to best communicate with a person living with dementia
• To use a Positive Physical Approach™ in interactions for improved outcomes
• How to get a person living with dementia to cooperate and follow instructions

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Every 11 seconds an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall. The fear of falling may also cause your loved or resident to limit activities and social engagements and may result in physical decline and social isolation. However, through education, regular assessments and practical environment and lifestyle adjustments, most falls can be prevented and substantially reduced, improving the quality of life for the person in your care.

Upon completion of this webinar, you will be able to:

• Identify fall risks for older adults
• Recognize the importance of fall risk screenings
• Demonstrate 2 evidence-based practice fall risk screening tools
• Recognize the value of Root Cause Analysis in fall investigations and analysis
• Apply Person Centered Care principles to design interventions that lower older adult risks for falls
• Identify quality improvement strategies to reduce fall risks

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Each year, one-third of adults over age 65 and half of those over age 85 fall, resulting in approximately 1.6 million emergency room visits. People who fall experience a greater functional decline in activities of daily living and in physical and social activities than people who do not fall. However, through exercise the number of falls can be substantially reduced, improving the quality of life for the person in your care.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Describe how types of exercise, including strength, balance, aerobic and flexibility training work to reduce fall risk
• Create exercise programs for frail and institutionalized older adults
• Design solutions to keep older adults exercising after physical therapy treatment has concluded

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Individuals who need assistance with everyday activities or some healthcare services may call assisted living communities their home. Those who reside in these communities may be at risk for falls related to several factors. This course discusses the risk factors associated with falls and common risk assessment tools used to identify those at greatest risk for falls. It also discusses fall prevention interventions used to reduce falls. By identifying those at higher risk, falls can be decreased or prevented, resulting in a higher quality of life for older adults.

The goal of this course is to educate administrator professionals in the assisted living setting on falls.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Recognize the risk factors associated with falls.
• Identify fall risk assessment tools used in the assisted living setting.
• Describe at least two interventions used to reduce falls.

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Falls are the leading cause of injury in older adults. Every year approximately 1 out of every 4 adults 65 and older fall (National Institute on Aging, 2017). Preventing falls is an important responsibility for all home care providers. Understanding common risk factors that contribute to falls and your role in preventing falls is essential.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will know:

• Recognize the most common risk factors that contribute to falls in older adults
• Explain the importance of a fall risk assessment
• Describe your role in a successful fall prevention program
• List the steps that should be followed if a person falls

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Oregon Care Partners offers you the opportunity to explore special topics with subject-matter experts in our quarterly Guest Speaker Webinar Series.

Webinars

Early identification of emerging or worsening health problems is crucial for older adults and getting treatment as soon as possible can avoid unnecessary visits to the emergency room and unnecessary hospital stays. This course will teach you best practices for observing and evaluating the condition of the person(s) in your care and how to think about, respond to, and monitor for changes of condition. NOTE: Be sure to learn and follow the laws, regulations and specific policies and procedures in the setting where you provide care.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Identify what is meant by a change in condition
• Recognize examples of a change in condition
• Recall common reasons for changes in condition
• Define the term “baseline” as it applies to a resident’s condition
• Identify what to observe when caring for and monitoring a resident’s physical, emotional, or social function
• Recognize what to do if a change in condition occurs
• List the elements of monitoring for a change of condition

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As a caregiver your skills of observation, reporting and recording are vital to helping the rest of the care team provide the best care possible to the person in your care. Observation, reporting, and recording are three tools you will use all day, every day of your caregiver career. This course will help you sharpen these skills and teach you how to maintain and update records properly with all critical observations and information. NOTE: Be sure to learn and follow the laws, regulations and specific policies and procedures in the setting where you provide care.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Implement skills for good observation – what to watch for and how to observe
• Report your observations effectively using sound communication techniques
• Record your tasks and observations according to best practices
• Describe common types of documentation used for reporting your observations
• Identify situations that caregivers have a legal obligation to report

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Person-centered service plans help to direct individualized care for each resident in assisted living facilities or ALFs. Through person-centered plans, staff can direct and provide quality, individualized care to the residents they serve. This course discusses the purpose and importance of person-centered service plans and how they are implemented. It also discusses how the staff will use these service plans. Without individual service plans, or ISPs, important care concerns may not be carried out.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Identify two ways staff use individualized service plans.
• Explain how individualized service plans are developed and implemented.
• Identify the purpose and importance of individualized service plans.

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People in your care are dependent on you for their health, safety, and well-being. But their health, safety, and well-being are also affected by healthcare-associated infections. Sadly, these infections are all too common. The good news is they are preventable. You must be familiar with infection control and prevention to prevent these infections. This course will teach you about healthcare-associated infections and how to prevent them.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Describe how infectious agents are transmitted and the chain of infection.
• Identify at least three ways to break the chain of infection.
• Explain additional infection control considerations.

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Trauma is an often-overlooked variable in the lives of older adults. Old age, coupled with multiple chronic conditions, progressive loss of autonomy and exposure to a high risk of traumatic events, underscores the need for trauma sensitive care with the aging population. During this webinar, you will learn the definition of trauma and why trauma informed care is important in long-term care. In addition, with the increased study of the impact of care on the caregiver – in the form of stress and burnout – attention will be given on how to support all parties involved, including family caregivers, community-based workers, and providers.

Upon completion of this webinar, you will be able to:

• Identify ways of understanding possible reasons behind an individual’s thinking, behavior, and way of relating by using your knowledge of NEAR science
• Explain how functions of the brain may be impacted by stress and trauma
• Apply each of the Six Principles of Trauma Informed Care in your work
• Commit to at least one strategy aimed toward inclusivity

Webinars

The purpose of this course is to familiarize the learner with an overview of depression and suicide in the older adult. Both the myths and facts surrounding depression and suicide among older adults will be discussed. The definition and symptoms of depression are presented along with ways to recognize if an older adult is depressed. Current statistics on depression among older adults are presented. This course engages learners in learning how to reduce the risk of depression among older adults in the care setting, as well as the proper steps to take if a person appears to be suicidal.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Contrast the myths and facts about depression and suicide among older adults.
• List symptoms of depression.
• Explain the causes of depression in older adults.
• Recognize the signs of depression.
• Identify the current statistics on depression among older adults.
• State ways to reduce the risk of depression in older adults.
• Explain how to identify older adults at risk of suicide.
• List ways to reduce the risk of suicide among older adults.
• Identify what steps should be taken if an older adult appears to be suicidal.

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The population of older adults worldwide is expected to reach 1.5 billion by the year 2050 (United Nations, 2019). Professionals most often working with older adult populations often lack routine training in how to recognize and respond to the symptoms of behavioral health disorders among older adults. The goal of this educational program is to provide information on unique stressors experienced by older adults that contribute to behavioral health disorders, challenges of diagnosis and treatment in older adult populations, and strategies to minimize such challenges.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Identify 6 physical health and life experience stressors common to older adults that can contribute to the development or exacerbation of behavioral health disorders.
• Discuss 6 common behavioral health conditions in older adult populations.
• Recall 5 strategies for minimizing common challenges to diagnosing older adults with behavioral health disorders.
• Describe 5 challenges in treating behavioral health conditions in older adult populations and approaches for minimizing challenges.

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Psychosocial health is a very important component to the overall health and happiness of older adults. While we have many dimensions that contribute to our overall health, how we feel about our self (psycho) and how we relate to others (social) greatly influences our daily life. This course will help you understand the broad dimensions that influence health and how learning a person’s life story and seeing the world through their eyes can help you meet the psychosocial needs of the person in your care.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Name and describe the 7 dimensions that influence our health
• Explain some of the common life challenges faced by older adults
• Describe each level in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
• Identify ways to meet the psychosocial needs of the person in your care
• Understand the importance of honoring spirituality/religious choices

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The purpose of this course is to familiarize the learner with information about substance use disorders and treatment. Information about the history and prevalence of misuse, epidemiology, health effects, and treatment for alcohol, opioids, cannabis, and stimulants as specific substance use disorders will be presented.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Cite facts related to the epidemiology of substance misuse worldwide and in the United States
• Explain historic and contemporary factors that have shaped legislative policies and responses to the use or misuse of substances, including an understanding of the war on drugs, factors contributing to the opioid crisis, and the current political climate related to the use of cannabis
• Identify DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorders
• Explain the terms tolerance and dependence and identify their role in substance use and withdrawal
• Identify the health effects and treatment approaches for substance use disorders, including medically assisted treatment (MAT), harm reduction, and treatment specific to the misuse of alcohol, opioids, cannabis, and stimulants

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In life, everyone has their share of adversity that they must overcome but for survivors of trauma, wounds may be lasting and carried for the rest of their life. Trauma survivors have unique care needs that must be included in the plan of care in order to achieve or maintain the individual’s highest level of health and well-being. This course discusses traumatic events, triggers that may be present, and the impact that trauma can have on an individual. It also discusses ways to implement trauma informed care in the lives of the ones you care for.

The goal of this course is to educate nurses, social workers, and professional counselors in post-acute care settings about trauma informed care.

This course presents examples of real-life traumatic events that may elicit physical or emotional reactions in learners who have experienced similar events. Talk to your supervisor if you have concerns about taking this course.

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This course teaches the learner how to provide caregiving services to individuals with mental illnesses.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Define mental illness
• Identify at least four types of mental illness
• Describe your role in caring for individuals with mental illness

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This course teaches methods for improving nutrition and preventing weight loss in people living with dementia and how to spot changes in eating habits that could be signs of more serious health problems.

Upon completion of this online activity,you should be able to:

• Understand the food and fluid needs for a person with Alzheimer’s
• Utilize methods to help meet those needs, as recommended by the Alzheimer’s Association
• Set nutritional goals for the person with Alzheimer’s

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The purpose of this course is to familiarize the learner with nutrition, malnutrition and dehydration, and the impact on the older adult. Information on challenges associated eating and nutrition, the impact of the dining environment on nutritional status, and ways to prevent malnutrition and dehydration will be presented. This course engages the learners in how to assist a person with eating and identify the signs of malnutrition and dehydration.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Recall common challenges to eating and nutrition with aging
• Identify signs of malnutrition and dehydration
• Explain how the dining environment may impact nutrition
• Recognize how to assist a person with eating

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Changes in a person’s ability to ingest fluid and nutrition near the end of life requires a thorough assessment, followed by appropriate education and support of both patient and caregivers. An emotionally charged topic that is riddled with misconceptions, this program will help you gain assessment skills and provide a compassionate approach to teaching patients and caregivers about changing nutrition and hydration needs as the patient’s illness progresses.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Identify potentially reversible causes of decreased eating in advanced illness
• Discuss the emotional impact of changes in eating and drinking on the patient and family
• Utilize simple ways to communicate natural changes related to the dying process to the family
• Describe the benefits of natural dehydration
• Identify risks of tube feeding in the terminally ill
• Discuss ethical, legal, and cultural issues that affect decision-making concerning the use of artificial hydration and nutrition near the end of life

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The body uses nutrients and water to fuel and balance its delicate systems. Nutrition and hydration are important considerations when providing care. When individuals are adequately nourished and hydrated, they stay stronger and healthier. This course discusses why both hydration and nutrition are important. It also discusses impaired nutrition and hydration and the signs of impairment you should look for in the individuals you care for.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Recognize at least two factors that may cause impaired hydration and nutrition.
• Identify two signs or symptoms of impaired hydration and nutrition.

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Are you caring for a person living in the late stages of dementia? Whether you care for someone in skilled, hospice, or in a home care setting, this program is a must-see for anyone who seeks to provide the most comfort, dignity and quality of life to the person living with dementia.

This program offers step-by-step instructions and hands-on skills for a variety of late stage care needs, all based on Positive Approach® techniques developed by Teepa L. Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, to help care partners handle even the trickiest of care tasks and reduce their risk of injury.

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Care planning identifies actual and potential problems and provides a guide for how individuals’ needs will be addressed by the healthcare team. Care planning for individuals who are nearing end-of-life requires unique considerations. This course outlines the impact of care planning in end-of-life care, especially for older adults. Without this knowledge and understanding, direct care staff may not be able to effectively address the needs of individuals at end of life.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Explain the purpose of care planning for individuals at the end of life.
• Identify your role and the goals of care when caring for a person at the end of life.
• Describe the significance of providing spiritual care to individuals at the end of life.

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End-of-life issues are difficult to face. The decisions to be made are challenging for everyone involved including the dying person, their loved ones, and the healthcare team. Individuals will have their own unique needs and concerns and will cope in their own way. But this can also be an opportunity for personal growth. These events will often provide people with the opportunity to self-reflect and gain insight into what is most valuable to them.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Identify the goals of end-of-life care.
• Discuss the ethical issues surrounding end-of-life decisions.
• Explain best practices for supporting individuals’ end-of-life decisions.

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Learn to recognize the progression into the final stages of dementia and provide the best care with Teepa Snow’s hands-on, disease-level appropriate techniques. In this course, Teepa explains how to connect with someone in late stage dementia, how to recognize and manage pain, and how to help the care team grieve the loss and celebrate the person’s life. 

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Understand what continues to change in the late stages of the disease
• Identify key terms for end of life care
• Use effective combinations of helping techniques for someone with advanced dementia
• Discriminate between “doing to” people and helping at the “just right” level

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Experiences can either positively or negatively influence a person’s end of life experience including, perceptions, personal preparation, values and beliefs. Learn how prejudice and influence can alter end of life experience for the person in your care, and the importance of culture, relationships, and caring for the bereaved.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Define the context of end of life as a process as opposed to a point in time
• Identify influencing factors accumulated throughout the life cycle and how they impact a person’s end of life experience
• Identify proactive measures to ensure end of life wishes are known and supported
• Identify psychological, emotional, and spiritual intervention that can be provided during end of life care
• Identify interventions that will provide comfort to the person in your care and or their support system at the end of life
• Recognize the difference between hospice care and palliative care
• Gain an understanding of cultural differences as they relate to end of life
• Identify the difference between a living will, POLST, medical power of attorney

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It is important to be mindful of cultural diversity in end-of-life care to create person-centered plans of care. Spiritual care is an opportunity to assist persons at end of life find meaning and connection. Assessment and interventions for palliative spiritual care will be discussed. This course also provides a general overview of the end-of-life practices of six major religions.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Identify components of cultural diversity
• Discuss best practices for spiritual care at end of life
• Recognize religious practices at end of life for at least three of the major religions

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Palliative care can be a tremendous benefit for individuals with chronic, life-limiting conditions. However, many qualifying individuals are not referred for palliative care because of a lack of understanding about palliative care services, as well as confusion regarding how palliative care and hospice care differ. This course will explain each of these types of care, when each is appropriate, the services offered, the roles of the team members, and payor sources so that the healthcare professional can better advocate for the most appropriate care and help ease the transition from palliative care to hospice care when necessary.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Define palliative care and hospice care and describe three benefits each provides
• Explain the services provided in palliative and hospice care and the payor sources
• Describe the roles of the palliative care and hospice care team members
• Discuss the transition from palliative care to hospice care and discharge from hospice care

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Providing person-centered care has endless benefits; not just for the residents, but for staff and everyone connected to your care home. The goal is to provide quality care and quality of life for each individual and create a place where residents can call home. This course will teach you the skills necessary to create a culture that is person oriented rather than task focused.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Define person-centered care
• Recognize the history of long-term care, including important legislation and the emergence of new care models that led to the development of a person-centered care approach
• Distinguish between institutional and resident-centered cultures
• Identify nine structural elements of the person-centered care model
• List important characteristics of person-centered care for each of the nine structural elements, including core values, relationships, community, leadership, workforce, services, meaningful life, environment, and accountability
• Identify important principles for lasting culture change within organizations where person-centered care is implemented

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This class teaches the essentials of providing person-centered care using a self-reflection tool called TRACK and incorporates personal stories based on real experiences in different care settings.

In the class you will learn to:

• Define person-centered care in your own words and give examples
• Identify the benefits of person-centered care
• Recognize why person-centered care can be difficult to implement
• Define TRACK and explain how it can be used as a self-reflection tool to create a more person-centered care environment

This online course was developed by Making Oregon Vital for Elders (MOVE) on behalf of Oregon Department of Human Services – Aging and People with Disabilities. Funding for this project was provided by a grant from the Oregon Quality Care Fund.

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Providing person-centered care has endless benefits; not just for the person living with dementia, but for family caregivers, staff and everyone connected to the care team. This course will teach you why learning the personal goals, needs, preferences and routines of the person in your care is critical to the development of a care plan. The goal is to provide quality care and quality of life for each person living with dementia and create a place where residents can call home. 

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Define person-centered care
• Explain the importance of knowing the preferences and routines of a person living with dementia
• Distinguish between a need and a preference
• Identify the elements in a person-centered care plan
• Recognize person-centered language within a care plan
• Define behavioral communication of distress
• Identify advance care planning needs for persons living with dementia

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As a medication technician, you play a very important role in the safe medication practices in your care setting and in ensuring the safety and quality of life for those in your care. In this class, an expert trainer will teach you the roles and responsibilities of the unlicensed medication technician and provide strategies and best practices for reducing medication errors using effective communication and a person-centered approach.

This webinar was designed specifically for the unlicensed medication technician working in ALF/RCF, memory care, and AFH care settings. CMAs and other licensed professionals should check with their administrator and licensing body before registering for this webinar.

In this webinar you will learn:

• The responsibilities of the unlicensed medication technician
• The responsibilities of each member of the Medication Team
• Person-centered care and how it impacts medication administration
• The definition of the term “medication”
• The eight components of safe medication delivery
• The common high-risk medications and safety measures
• The definition of the term “medication error” and methods to avoid/reduce errors
• Ways communication can improve medication services

Webinars

Medication safety starts with you. Medication management can be complex but is an important part of providing the best possible care for older adults. Our expert instructors will teach you how medicines work in older adults, the benefits of regular medication reviews and non-medication alternatives for individuals living with dementia.

This webinar is designed to help anyone who cares for an aging Oregonian better understand the importance of safe medication use in older adults.

In this webinar, you will:

• Learn how medicines can work in older adults, including risk factors, age-related changes and adverse medication side effects
• Learn the importance of dementia screening tools and regular medication reviews using a team approach with a primary care provider
• Develop new skills related to approach and ability to connect with people affected by dementia
• Learn how to recognize behavioral expressions of distress and be given care partnering tools and resources for non-medicine interventions and effective pain management

Webinars

Prescription opioids can be beneficial to help relieve severe pain, but these medications also come with serious risks. As caregivers it is important to be educated on the opioid epidemic and its scope, so you can make an impact on prevention. During this webinar, you will learn best practices to decrease the risks of addiction and overdose. An expert presenter will discuss strategies to ensure the security and accountability of prescription opioids to prevent theft and share tools and resources that will assist family and care professionals provide the safest, most effective care. 

Upon completion of this webinar, you will be able to:

• Understand the impact of the opioid epidemic and the national plan to combat the problem
• Describe prescription opioid benefits, potential harms and factors that increase the risks for older adults
• Discuss basic concepts of pain management and treatment options available, including the treatment of opioid overdose or physical dependency
• Apply best practice strategies around safety and accountability when handling prescription opioid medications

Webinars

Medications—prescription and non-prescription alike—can have benefits but they are also associated with potential risks. Every caregiver, as a member of the care team, plays an active, positive role safely managing medications for older adults. In this class, our expert instructor and a licensed pharmacist will teach you how to apply best practice tools and strategies to improve medication safety and communication within your care setting using a team approach to provide optimal care to the person(s) in your care. Medication safety starts with you!

This class is designed to teach caregivers quality improvement techniques and communication strategies to improve medication safety practices for older adults.

In this class you will:

• Learn how medicines can work in older adults, including risk factors, age-related changes and adverse medication side effects
• Develop a plan to implement or enhance a process for medication review and documentation in your care setting
• Learn how to apply quality improvement techniques and communication strategies to improve medication safety practices
• Learn to promote person-centered care through a team approach

This course addresses the medical needs of the person with Alzheimer’s disease using a person-centered approach. It presents medications commonly prescribed and their side effects, including the effects of using antipsychotic medications for behavioral symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease. It identifies medical conditions and symptoms that frequently occur in those with Alzheimer’s disease, such as sleep disorders, falls, and pneumonia and skin breakdown related to immobility, and shows their impact. The detection and prevention of malnutrition and dehydration are discussed, as well as effective strategies for managing swallowing difficulties, constipation, and urinary tract infection. Finally, end of life and hospice care are examined. While this course specifically talks about Alzheimer’s disease, you can use the same strategies in persons with other types of dementia, as well. Additionally, you should always remember that the fluctuating nature of Alzheimer’s disease may require frequent adjustments to the plan of care to meet the person’s needs at any given time.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Identify commonly prescribed medications to manage the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease
• Explain issues associated with the use of antipsychotic medication for the management of behavioral symptoms
• Describe the impact of frequently occurring medical conditions and their symptoms in those with Alzheimer’s disease
• Employ effective management strategies for common medical conditions that occur with Alzheimer’s disease
• Recall strategies to improve nutrition and hydration in the person with Alzheimer’s disease
• Discuss end of life care, including hospice care, for people with Alzheimer’s disease

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The purpose of this course is to provide unlicensed personnel working in residential care, home health, and hospice with the basic information and knowledge to properly assist individuals with self-administration of their medications. This course describes the difference between medication administration and assisting with self-administration of medication, as well as the goals, roles, and responsibilities of unlicensed personnel in medication assistance. It reviews some basic terminology associated with medication use including brand vs. generic name, dosage, routes, indications, contraindications, and adverse reactions. It discusses common classes of medications and the common side effects. As you progress through this course, it is critical for you to always keep in mind and follow the laws and regulations for your scope of practice, and the specific policies and procedures in the setting where you provide care.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to

• Differentiate between medication administration and assisting with self-administration of medication
• Explain the goals of assisting with self-administration of medications
• Describe the roles and responsibilities of unlicensed professional in assisting with self-administration of medications
• Recognize commonly used terminology and abbreviations associated with medication use
• Name the purpose and common side effects of three medication classes

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The ability to self-administer medications and perform activities of daily living is important to many people in maintaining their independence. The purpose of this course is to provide unlicensed personnel working in residential care settings, home care, and hospice with the basic information and knowledge to properly assist individuals with the self-administration of their medications. You will learn the basic rules to follow and precautions to take, as well as the rights of medication administration as they pertain to assisting with the self-administration of medication. You will explore the various forms of medications and the corresponding routes that are used for each form. Finally, you will learn special instructions for documentation and the proper storage, security, and disposal of medications. Being aware of each of these basic guidelines will help you understand the importance of medication administration and help you put appropriate and effective interventions into practice. As you progress through this course, it is critical for you to always keep in mind and follow the laws and regulations for your scope of practice, and the specific policies and procedures in the setting where you provide care.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Explain the basic rules for assisting with the self-administration of medications
• Identify precautions to take when assisting with the self-administration of medications
• List the Rights of medication administration
• Describe the various forms of medications and the routes they are taken
• Demonstrate proper documentation practices when assisting with the self-administration of medications
• Recognize the appropriate methods for storing, securing, and disposing medications

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The purpose of this course is to provide unlicensed personnel working in residential care, home care, and hospice with the basic information and knowledge to properly assist individuals with self-administration of their medications. You will learn the different types of medications and medication orders, and you will learn to recognize a medication order that requires judgment or discretion and respond appropriately. You will learn the components of a medication label, as well as how to detect when information is missing or incorrect on the label and in a medication order. Finally, you will review various special instructions often found in medication orders and the normal parameters or ranges for medication orders. As you progress through this course, it is critical for you to always keep in mind and follow the laws and regulations for your scope of practice, and the specific policies and procedures in the setting where you provide care.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Describe different types of medications and medication orders
• Recognize a medication order that requires judgment or discretion and respond appropriately
• Explain the components of a medication label
• Implement various types of special instructions found in medication orders
• Detect missing or incorrect information on medication labels and orders and respond appropriately
• Recognize the normal components and parameters for medication orders and seek clarification as needed

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This course introduces the learner to the basics of medication management. The difference between medication administration and assistance with medication administration is reviewed. The older adult’s rights, challenges, and expectations regarding medication support are presented. Finally, this course presents the proper methods of medication management to ensure safety.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Describe the importance of medication management in the post-acute care setting.
• Apply the rights of medication management to improve safety.
• Identify best strategies for medication delivery.

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The purpose of this course is to teach the basics of documenting medication administration and assisting with medication administration. This course will help you clarify your role in medication administration best practices and learn how to use the most common types of medication records appropriately. The goal of this educational program is to provide medication aides in residential care settings with guidelines for documenting medication administration.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Define your role in medication administration and documentation
• Describe medication administration records and medication logs
• Summarize best practices for documenting the administration of medications and their storage, disposal, donation, and destruction

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Older adults take an average of eight medications a day, which leaves them at higher than average risk for medication errors and other serious medication-related problems. This course will teach you how medicines work in older adults and review medications typically used to treat symptoms of dementia and their associated risks and benefits. You will learn how to recognize and monitor for adverse reactions and side effects, gradual dose reduction, the importance of reducing antipsychotic medications for people living with dementia, and options for non-medication alternatives. 

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Discuss age-related concerns as they relate to medications
• Recognize common terms used in medication services
• Identify the difference between a side effect and an adverse drug reaction
• Discuss important safety measure to observe when caring for people who take medications
• Recognize medications that are used to treat the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and dementia with the accompanying side effects and potential reactions
• List the six rights of medication service
• Discuss strategies for reducing the use of antipsychotic medications
• Discuss gradual dose reduction.

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Medication errors occur at an alarming rate. In the U.S., between 7,000 and 9,000 individuals die due to medication errors every year and thousands more are injured or suffer complications from the errors (Tariq et al., 2022). Healthcare staff involved in the administration of medications must be adequately trained and have their competency validated at least annually. This course discusses the roles and responsibilities of medication aides and the rights of safe medication administration.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Discuss the roles and responsibilities of a medication aide.
• Identify the rights of medication administration.

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The use of medications is an essential element of treatment for many illnesses and conditions, especially those that are chronic in nature. Some medications are given routinely while others are only given on an as needed, or PRN, basis. This course discusses commonly used PRN medications along with their side effects. It also discusses the steps you should take prior to and after administering a PRN medication. Without the knowledge of how to manage PRN medications, the individuals you care for will have a decreased quality of life. The goal of this course is to educate medication aides in post-acute care on how to manage and administer commonly used PRN medications.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Identify the types of PRN medications used and their side effects
• Explain the steps used before and after administering a PRN medication

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The purpose of this course is to familiarize you with the effects and implications of polypharmacy in the senior population. In this course, you will learn frequently used PRN medications and calculation methods, the signs and symptoms of medication side effects, and the difference between an adverse drug reaction and a side effect. You’ll learn systematic process for medication order review and verification and how to interact effectively with the pharmacy.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Define polypharmacy
• Identify complications of polypharmacy
• Distinguish between an adverse drug reaction and a side effect
• Identify signs and symptoms of side effects
• Recognize accurate dosing and calculation of PRN medications
• Discuss medication order review and verification
• Describe occasions when it is appropriate to interact with the pharmacy
• Recognize appropriate use of pharmacy resources

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This course teaches the importance of the caregiver’s role in medication administration and promoting medication safety. Learn to take proper steps to medication delivery, store and track medications and employ the six “rights” of medication management.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Take the proper steps to medication delivery
• Understand what caregivers can and can’t do regarding medication
• Promote medication safety
• Store and keep track of medications
• Interpret labels
• Employ the six “rights” of medication management

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In this course you will learn how to understand medication instructions and how to identify medications by their many names. Learn to understand possible complications from medication use and how to monitor and cope with potential adverse side effects.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Understand medication instructions and how to read a prescription bottle
• Identify medications by their brand name, generic name, and chemical name
• Understand the possible complications that can arise from medication use
• Monitor the person in your care for changes in weight and vital signs
• Cope with potential adverse side effects

Online Learning Dashboard

Intimacy, sexuality and sexual behaviors remain some of the most sensitive and controversial health care issues that arise in long term care communities. In this webinar, you’ll explore challenges in responding to and navigating the sexuality of those in your care in order to evaluate and implement fair and specific guidelines for your care setting.

In this webinar, you will:

• Examine and challenge personal attitudes, beliefs and practices around consent and sexuality
• Explore why we need to address the issue of sex and sexuality
• Understand client rights and legal definition of consent in Oregon
• Understand what “capacity to consent” means
• Learn steps for developing a sexual expression policy
• Review policies and practices utilized by other agencies

Webinars

Sexual health is a vital component of life and general well-being for older adults of all abilities. Sexuality develops in a person over the course of their lifetime. The presence of a disease process does not necessarily equate to the end of one’s sexuality. Healthcare professionals may fail to recognize the sexual lives of the older adults in their care. They should strive to promote the older adult’s comfort and trust to candidly discuss their sexuality. In this course, you will learn about sexuality and the older adult to include sexual health, intimacy, and the normal age-related changes to sexual function and desire. You will explore trends in attitudes toward sexuality in the older adult and the ethical/legal issues that healthcare professionals must consider. You will take away up-to-date recommendations on how best to manage sexual intimacy and the older adult in the long-term care setting.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Differentiate between normal age-related sexual changes and changes caused by disease and disability.
• Identify the necessary steps to take in recognizing and addressing the sexual needs of people who live in long-term care settings.
• Recognize stereotypical age-biased views of sexuality among older adults.
• Apply the ethical concepts of autonomy and dignity to sexual issues in long-term care settings.

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The topic of sexual expression among older adults with dementia is complex for many people. It can make a caregiver feel uncomfortable and family members concerned or worried. Someone with dementia has the right and privacy to express their sexuality in lawful and proper ways. This course discusses how dementia can impact a person’s sexuality and how best to intervene and manage the sexual behaviors of persons with dementia.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Describe dementia’s effects on a person’s sexuality.
• Identify at least three interventions to effectively manage sexual behaviors in individuals with dementia.

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As a person grows older, it is natural for them to forget things sometimes. However, some people have a much harder time functioning and remembering things than others as they age. One of the diseases that causes this is called Alzheimer’s disease. You will likely provide care to persons with Alzheimer’s disease and as such need to be knowledgeable about the disease process and care strategies. This course will provide an overview of Alzheimer’s disease so you can know what to expect when caring for those with this disease.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Differentiate between normal aging, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease
• Identify other conditions that may result in symptoms similar to those of Alzheimer’s disease
• Explain how Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain
• Describe the risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease
• Differentiate between the stages of Alzheimer’s disease
• Describe the challenges for caregivers in each stage of Alzheimer’s disease

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Learn the differences and similarities between hallucinations and delusions as a symptom experienced by people living with dementia.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to: 

• Understand the difference between hallucinations and delusions
• Understand the strategies for helping people with dementia who experience hallucinations or delusions

Online Learning Dashboard

Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disease that destroys a person’s memory. It affects their ability to do things. The disease causes people to be confused and have trouble remembering. The care for people with Alzheimer’s is different for every person. Each person will need more care as they age. This course presents things about Alzheimer’s disease that you need to know. It suggests ways to care for people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Upon completion of this training, you will learn:

• Describe Alzheimer’s disease
• List 3 ways Alzheimer’s disease changes a person’s behavior and abilities
• Describe ways to care for someone with Alzheimer’s disease

Online Learning Dashboard

Help is Here: When a Resident has Dementia audio book is for anyone working in long-term care settings and caring for residents with dementia. “Help is Here” offers practical, realistic examples and support for everyday situations. You will learn methods that have helped others who have cared for people living with dementia so you can build on what you already know and care more successfully for residents who have dementia.

In this course you will learn:

• Why you’re important to residents who have dementia
• About common forms of dementia
• How to deal with tough situations when interacting with residents who have dementia
• When you might want to discuss a resident’s behavior with your supervisor
• Ways to have a better relationship with the resident’s family members
• What you can do to care for yourself

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The purpose of this course is to familiarize you with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia. You will learn about Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, how Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain, and conditions and diseases that may cause irreversible dementia. You will also learn information about the conditions and disorders that may mimic the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and the characteristics and stages of dementia related diseases.

In this class you will learn to:

• Recognize facts about Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders.
• Explain how Alzheimer’s disease affects the brain.
• Distinguish between cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, and normal aging.
• Identify conditions and diseases that may cause irreversible dementia.
• List conditions or disorders that may mimic the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
• Recognize the stages and characteristics of Alzheimer’s disease.

Online Learning Dashboard

This course provides an overview of dementia, its causes and stages, communication techniques you can use, and strategies for preventing or managing behavioral symptoms. As you progress through this course, it is important to remember that every person is unique. They may not have all the symptoms or issues presented here. Additionally, the interventions outlined may not be effective for everyone. To be effective in caring for persons living with dementia, you must use person-centered care that focuses on the persons specific needs and abilities.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Describe dementia
• Recognize the stages of Alzheimer’s disease
• Use appropriate communication techniques for those with dementia
• Use strategies to prevent and manage behavioral symptoms in those with dementia
• Recognize dementia-related behaviors

Online Learning Dashboard

Many residents living with some form of dementia may wander or even attempt to leave a senior care setting. These behaviors may be dangerous because residents who are cognitively impaired may be unable to protect themselves. This course is designed to help you minimize wandering and elopement in your community.

Upon completion of this online activity, you should be able to:

• Distinguish between wandering and elopement 
• Describe at least three strategies to minimize wandering and elopement

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Hospital readmissions are an important measure for the quality of patient care in U.S. hospitals. Among the likely reasons for readmission are shortfalls in how organizations execute transitions in care, resulting in inadequate communication, inadequate follow-up care, and medical errors. Luckily, these can be prevented by implementing effective transitions. This course will review how your organization can effectively handle transitions of care.

The goal of this course is to provide administrators and nurses in post-acute care with the best practices for transitioning care.

Upon completion of this online activity, you will be able to:

• Describe the importance of medication reconciliation.
• Describe the effect of transitions of care on older adults.
• Identify at least two ways to improve transitions of care.

Online Learning Dashboard