Dementia Care Digest

 

 Official newsletter of the

Alzheimer's Foundation of America's

Dementia Care Professionals of America division
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July 2015/Issue 12
A Message from AFA's
Deputy Director, Educational Services
Happy summer! We hope that yours is off to a great start. As temperatures climb during the summer months, it's important to be mindful of the implications of heat on the older individuals for whom we care. Hot weather can be dangerous and even fatal, especially for older adults, whose bodies do not cool down as quickly as those who are younger and who are more likely to become dehydrated. Additionally, health conditions often experienced by older adults, including heart disease and diabetes, as well as certain medications, increase the risk of heat-related issues. 

For suggestions on keeping yourself and those you care for safe in the heat, check out tips from the National Institute on Aging.

 

In health,

Kristen Cribbs, MPH
Deputy Director, Educational Services
On the Job: Tips for Providing Optimal Care
giving-hands-together.jpg Study Underscores Need for Culture Change at Dementia Care Facilities 

 

Findings from a recent study, conducted by researchers at the University of Lethbridge in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, revealed that many dementia care nurses working in long-term care and assisted living facilities experience moral distress at work, leading to unhealthy behaviors and poor job satisfaction and performance. The study highlights the importance for residential care settings to continually pursue opportunities to improve their cultures of care, including leadership development, team building, training, and support for personnel. If you work for residential care setting or adult day program and are looking to strengthen your dementia programs and services, check out AFA's Excellence in Care program.

 

UK Project Seeks to Share Stories of Individuals Living with Dementia

 

The Dementia Engagement and Empowerment Project, an initiative of On Our Radar, a UK-based non-profit communications agency, recently launched Dementia Diaries, a national project to establish a personal archive and public record of the daily lived experiences of individuals living with dementia, with a larger goal of prompting a meaningful dialogue about the condition. 
In the News
  • "Forbes" provides an overview of recent Alzheimer's disease research efforts and underscores the need for continued investment in medical research to develop effective treatments and a cure. 
  • The "Wall Street Journal" discusses the imperative for our society to forge new pathways and opportunities for older adults to continue growing during later life.
  • In a "New York Times" piece, the daughter of late husband-wife aging experts, Drs. Robert Butler and Myrna Lewis, offers insights on end-of-life preparation. 
Continuing Education

A recent Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) report, titled, "Women and Dementia: A global research review," explored the gender effect among three groups globally: women living with dementia; woman caring for individuals with dementia in a professional role; and women involved in the provision of informal dementia care. Additionally, the report examined factors affecting women in low and middle income countries, family structures, and migratory patterns.

 

Read the full ADI report and take the corresponding Dementia Care Digest quiz to earn one Continuing Education Unit (CEU)*. 


 

*Professionals who are sanctioned as AFA Qualified Dementia Care Providers or AFA Qualified Dementia Care Specialists must renew their AFA qualification every two years by obtaining four CEUs.

 

Every hour of continuing education equals one credit. 30 minutes of content equals 0.5 credits. A program of less than 30 minutes in total is not applicable, and all intervals of less than 30 minutes are rounded down to the nearest 30-minute mark.

Completion of each Dementia Care Digest quiz equals one CEU.

 
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