Beth Sholom Village recently held an Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Seminar for all of its staff. The seminars were designed by the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners LLC (NCCDP LLC), and the classes were facilitated by Tree of Life Dementia Care Consulting, LLC.
This training was made possible by The Sephardic Foundation on Aging, whose mission is “Empowering all older people to live happier, healthier lives.” The Dementia Care Partner program supports and builds empathy for people with dementia and their caretakers and advances programs that encourage well-being and connections to their community.
BSV believes in offering the best care possible to all of its residents. However, BSV recognizes that its population of residents with cognitive impairment requires and deserves special consideration. The Village feels it is imperative to ensure that all of its direct care staff are adequately trained and educated in dementia-related caregiving. Direct Care Staff include all nursing staff—RNs, LPNs, Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), and medical aides. Direct care staff also includes all members of the rehabilitation department—physical, occupational, and speech therapists, as well as members of its recreation therapy department and social workers. These staff members care for residents daily and work to meet and exceed goals of care unique to each resident.
The week-long training was deemed a great success, with 131 employees completing the course required to obtain the certification of Certified Dementia Practitioner® CDP®. In addition, 70 ancillary employees attended the awareness and care training for people with dementia. In total, 201 Beth Sholom Village employees received specialized training on dementia care in a single week.
Beth Sholom Village is proud to have provided this training as it creates an environment of inclusivity and addresses all residents’ unique needs. Plans call to continue this training to ensure all new employees receive the same information and are adequately equipped to care for BSV residents.
-Marcia Futterman Brodie