Jed A. Levine
A guest column by Jed A. Levine, executive vice president and director of programs and services at the Alzheimer’s Association, New York City Chapter.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the public health crisis of the 21st century. An estimated 5.4 million people have AD in the United States, and that number is projected to increase to 13 million by mid-century unless we find a way to prevent, delay, or cure the disease.
We spend $183 billion annually caring for persons with AD.
The disease affects not only an individual’s memory, but all areas of thinking, function, and behavior. Persons with AD become progressively dependent on others for all their activities of daily living (ADLs). There is no cure, and only modest treatment for the symptoms of the disease. The disease can last up to 20 years, with a mean of 8-10 years.
For many families, home care workers are a lifeline. With the help of these workers, family members who would otherwise need to provide full-time care can continue working and providing for spouses and children.
For persons with dementia, quality of life depends on quality of care and their relationships with their care providers. In the early and middle states of the disease, persons with dementia can still experience pleasure and meaning in their lives. The quality of the assistance and support they receive is critical. Even when the disease is advanced, the person with dementia can experience comfort and does not have to suffer.
Valuable, Practical, and Proven
Dementia care is hard work; it takes specialized skills that can be learned by caregivers.
Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association, New York City Chapter (AANYC), has provided in-depth training on dementia care for home care workers, through agencies and for individuals.
This 50-hour training builds skills such as:
- communication;
- understanding and responding to “behavioral symptoms”;
- engaging the person with dementia;
- understanding the family’s experience; and
- self-care, such as meditation and yoga.
A recent formal evaluation of the 50-hour dementia care training showed that the person with dementia showed greater improvement in behavior and emotion when cared for by a trained aide. The person with dementia was also found to be “communicating more,” “less agitated,” and “more cooperative with ADLs.”
Family caregivers also rated trained aides positively, including overall satisfaction with the aide.
The study also found that trained aides were more likely than their non-trained counterparts to stay in the field of dementia home care.
As the population of persons with dementia, including AD, grows, so too will the demand for trained home care workers. AANYC has developed a model of training that is valuable, practical, and proven.
More Information
To learn more about the training evaluation, contact Edward Cisek, Ph.D., AANYC.
To inquire about the dementia training, contact Matt Kudish, LMSW, AANYC.
For more information about AANYC, or any of the 78 local chapters, visit the website, or call the national 24-Hour Helpline at 1.800.272.3900.
Some information in this article was taken or adapted from the following publications published by the Alzheimer’s Association:
One strategy identified in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services‘ (HHS) draft taskforce plan to meet the Obama Administration’s goal of developing effective ways to treat and prevent Alzheimer’s disease by 2025 is to “Build a Workforce with the Skills to Provide High-Quality Care.”
