Dementia Care for Health Care Workers
Overview
Developed by Ontario Tech University, in partnership with top healthcare organizations, the Dementia Care for Healthcare Workers micro-credentials have been designed to address the dementia-specific skills gap.
These micro-credentials enable the competency development of new healthcare graduates and provide skills re-training for healthcare providers already working with patients with dementia and other memory-loss conditions. Learn about the latest dementia care best practices from industry experts and network with sector professionals. This unique 5-module pathway provides interhealth professionals with a comprehensive learning experience and thorough practical training, preparing them to excel in long-term care settings.
To succesfully complete this program you must also complete:
Gentle Persuasive Approaches (GPA) Training
U-First! Training
Micro-credentials
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Relational Communication and Person Centered Care
OVERVIEW
- Learn how to implement person-centred approaches and respectful, dementia-friendly, communication in a healthcare or long-term care setting;
- Reflect upon using verbal and non-verbal communication strategies in a healthcare or long-term care setting.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Define age and ageism;
- Identify common changes in language and cognitive abilities for people living with dementia;
- Describe key elements of person-centred dementia care and the critical role of the family/care partner;
- Describe verbal and non-verbal communication strategies that support the abilities and needs of older adults living with dementia;
- Explain methods and barriers to effective communication for persons living with dementia;
- Understand how effective relational communication is integral to person and family-centred care.
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Combating Aging and Dementia Related Stigma
OVERVIEW
- Learn to apply knowledge and concepts related to the prevention of dementia-related stigma towards the residents in long-term care settings;
- Identify ways in which healthcare workers can best support the needs of older adults and their families by promoting an age-friendly and dementia-friendly community.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Describe common dementia-related stigma and its impact on older adults;
- Apply knowledge concepts to provide age-friendly care and promote age-friendly communities;
- Identify key features of a dementia-friendly community;
- List ways healthcare providers can support individuals and their families if they encounter stigma to support the human rights of those living with dementia;
- Understand transformative culture change in long-term care.
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Elder Abuse Prevention
OVERVIEW
- Recognize the signs of elder abuse in a healthcare or long-term care setting;
- Respond appropriately to elder abuse by recognizing the signs of different types of abuse and by showing respect and believing victims when they come forward;
- Report elder abuse appropriately.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Define elder abuse and special considerations for persons with dementia;
- Identify at-risk individuals under the scope of your responsibility;
- Recall laws and regulations associated with reporting elder abuse;
- Describe the types of elder abuse and identify interventions of health care workers.
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Understanding & Management of Responsive Behaviors
OVERVIEW
- Apply the best practice approaches to understanding the meaning of responsive behaviours for persons living with dementia;
- Identify non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions to provide behavioural support to manage responsive behaviours for persons with dementia.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Identify ways to prevent responsive behaviours of persons living with dementia;
- Apply best practice approaches to manage responsive behaviours;
- Apply supportive communication, environmental strategies and person-centered care approaches;
- Understand non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions to support individuals living with dementia.
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Cognitive Assessment Tools
OVERVIEW
- Demonstrate knowledge in the application of tools to assess cognitive impairment in older adults, as well as the ability to make appropriate referrals to geriatric assessment programs as needed;
- Critically analyze the differences between the common types of dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Describe the difference between dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment;
- Understand and differentiate between the common types of dementia;
- Identify key features of cognitive assessment for older adults;
- Be knowledgeable of cognitive assessment tools;
- Be knowledgeable of the non-cognitive tools used in a comprehensive assessment process;
- Identify multidisciplinary geriatric assessment programs in the community.
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Self-care for Dementia Care Workers
OVERVIEW
- Use person-centered approaches and respectful dementia-friendly communication in a healthcare or long-term care setting;
- Reflect on using verbal and non-verbal communication strategies in a healthcare or long-term care setting.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Define age and ageism;
- Identify common changes in language and cognitive abilities for people living with dementia;
- Describe key elements of person-centered dementia care and the critical role of the family/care partner;
- Describe verbal and non-verbal communication strategies that support the abilities and needs of older adults living with dementia;
- Explain methods and barriers to effective communication for persons living with dementia;
- Understand how effective relational communication is integral to person and family-centered care.
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Palliative Care for Persons with Dementia
OVERVIEW
- Demonstrate knowledge of applying a holistic approach to palliative care, including providing physical, emotional, social, cultural, spiritual, and informational support for those living with dementia;
- Develop effective communication skills, ways to support families, and approaches to interprofessional and person-centred care in palliative care for persons with dementia.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Understand the core philosophy and goals of a palliative approach to care in general and its application to any patient and their family;
- Demonstrate how to adapt and incorporate the general palliative approach to care primarily for people with any form of dementia and their family;
- Identify ways to promote a holistic approach to palliative care, including providing physical, emotional, social, cultural, spiritual, and information needs for residents with dementia;
- Apply proper pain management strategies to support comfort measures, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions;
- Implement effective communication skills, family support, interprofessional care, and person-centred care approaches to promote palliative care for persons with dementia.
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Crisis Intervention and Resolution
OVERVIEW
- Effectively identify the various types of crisis for those individuals living with dementia;
- Identify risk factors that may lead to crisis for those individuals living with dementia;
- Demonstrate how to anticipate, prevent, and reduce harm or the risk of harm for people living with dementia, their families, and their caregivers;
- Reflect on your role and responsibility in crisis intervention and management.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Describe different types of crises common for people living with dementia;
- Identify risk factors that may lead to crisis for people living with dementia;
- Exercise the application of behavioural analysis;
- Understand the responsibility of healthcare workers in crisis intervention and management;
- Knowledge to anticipate, prevent, and reduce harm or risk of harm to support people living with dementia, their families and their caregiver.
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Cognitive Stimulation and Rehabilitation
OVERVIEW
- Effectively identify the difference between cognitive stimulation and cognitive rehabilitation;
- Identify cognitive decline in people living with dementia;
- Demonstrate knowledge of the four components of cognitive interventions for people living with dementia;
- Reflect on your role in implementing cognitive interventions.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Describe different types of cognitive stimulation, which is helpful for people living with dementia;
- Identify signs of diminishing cognition in people living with dementia;
- Apply the correct cognitive activities for people living with dementia;
- Identify which is the correct approach: cognitive stimulation or rehabilitation is needed for an individual living with dementia;
- Understand the importance of cognitive stimulation and rehabilitation.
General Information
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Course Structure
Self paced. We recommend 6 weeks to complete each micro-credential, however, learners have the flexibility to complete each micro-credential over three months at their own pace. Each micro-credential typically requires between 3-5 hours of course work/week.
Weekly multiple choice questions will guide your learning progress throughout the course. Learners are given a final assessment where they will apply their learning to a practical assignment. Upon the completion of this assignment, it will be evaluated by a facilitator. Participants will be awarded a digital badge if the final assignment is completed successfully.
- Micro-credentials and Digital Badges
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Fees and Registration
Online, self-paced
Registration fee Registration status $2355.75 CAD (full program)
$349 CAD (single module)
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OSAP for Micro-credentials
OSAP for Micro-credentials is available for eligible students taking a ministry-approved micro-credential that is less than 12 weeks. To be eligible for OSAP for Micro-credentials, a student must be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, or a protected person; and, be a resident of Ontario.
For more information please visit the OSAP website at www.ontario.ca/OSAP.
