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 micro-credential program 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:
Project led by:
Dr. Winnie Sun , RN, PhD
Dr. Winnie Sun completed her PhD in Nursing and collaborative graduate program in Health Services and Policy Research at the University of Toronto, Canada. She is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Health Sciences in Ontario Tech University, and she is holding a research appointment as the Co-Research Director of the Advancement in Dementia Care Centre (ADCC) in Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences, in Ontario Canada.
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 micro-credential, 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 micro-credential, 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 micro-credential, 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 micro-credential, 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 micro-credential, 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 micro-credential, 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 micro-credential, 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 micro-credential, 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 micro-credential, 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 $1199 CAD (full program)
$199 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.
