Better Together Dementia Care

A unique hands-on training program for long-term care staff to make dementia care easier and better.

Overview

Plum Tree Memory Care’s Better Together Dementia Care training program is a practical, hands-on training program designed to equip long-term care PSWs, nurses, physicians, and leadership staff with practical knowledge and skills necessary for effective team-based care and support for individuals with the most challenging manifestations of dementia. Many individuals in long-term care live with memory changes, often undiagnosed. This training program can support all allied health team members working with those with memory changes.  

The program integrates clinical and experiential knowledge into concise structured training, delivered using best teaching practices. Training is supplemented by drop-in Zoom sessions, in which learners can discuss challenging cases.

Background

The Better Together training program was created by award-winning memory care training experts and health care professionals with decades of practical experience providing dementia care and working  with personal support workers, nurses, and leadership staff in long-term care settings.

The program integrates 15 years of expertise successfully training primary care clinicians to deliver skilled, high quality dementia care with proven outcomes, and builds upon the most relevant aspects of the Gentle Persuasive Approach to create a consolidated, foundational program that is specifically tailored to meet the needs of PSWs, nurses, physicians, and leadership staff facing the most challenging aspects of dementia care in long-term care.

  • PSWs, nurses, physicians, and leadership staff learn about clinically relevant aspects of dementia, including the different types of dementia, symptoms, and progression, and its unique impacts on cognitive, functional, and behavioural abilities.

  • Our training emphasizes a person-centred approach when caring for individuals with dementia. This involves recognizing the individual needs, preferences, and backgrounds of each person, and tailoring care accordingly. All aspects of our training promote autonomy, dignity, and independence as much as possible.

  • Effective communication is vital when working with individuals with dementia. We share techniques to enhance communication with individuals who may have difficulties expressing themselves or comprehending information. These include use of clear and concise language, non-verbal cues, active listening, validation techniques to build rapport and reduce anxiety, and the use of these communication techniques during difficult situations.

  • Dementia can lead to challenging behaviours such as agitation, aggression, and wandering. Our program will help PSWs and nurses to identify triggers for these behaviours and implement strategies to manage and de-escalate them effectively. Our training will also help attending physicians develop an appropriate, effective approach to medication interventions when needed. Medication optimization and rational approach to antipsychotic use are emphasized.

  • PSWs and nurses receive instruction on ensuring the safety of individuals with dementia. This includes techniques for preventing falls and effective medication administration.

  • Physicians, PSWs, nurses, and leadership staff are trained to provide support for families of individuals with dementia.

  • Physicians, nurses, and leadership staff learn about the importance of team function and accountability, working together collaboratively with PSW staff.

Content

The Better Together training program covers practical and effective specifics of exactly how to manage the most challenging situations in advanced dementia care in congregate living settings, including agitation, aggression, falls, care refusal, and medication refusal.

Key aspects covered in this training include:

Delivery

Plum Tree’s Better Together training program includes one full day of in-person workshop training with practical exercises and case studies (including real-world video demonstrations), followed by virtual mentorship support.

Workshop training is based on best teaching practices of case-based interactive learning and team building. Mentorship enhances contextual learning and application of knowledge through virtual support to guide problem solving for challenges encountered by participants.

Knowledge and skills are further reinforced through on-demand access to a library of select videos and resources available post-training, as well as training cards and posters outlining key concepts that can be prominently placed and readily accessible within participants’ work environments.

Impact      

Through better understanding of the individuals’ needs and using person-centred approaches that respect individuals’ needs and preferences, training can help improve staff safety and effectiveness of care delivery. This can reduce staff burnout and turnover, as well as reduce crisis events, such as severe behavioural escalations and related emergency department transfers.

For people living in long-term care with advanced dementia, a skilled, knowledgeable team of physicians, nurses, and PSWs working collaboratively together can help to ensure needs are met with positive care experiences and help  individuals maintain best quality of life for as long as possible.