Knowledge, Power, Community: Managing Alzheimer's And Dementia For The Caregiver

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences and the Brain Center in Miami, FL now offer a course that prepares nonprofessionals to support dementia and Alzheimer's patients.

MIAMI, July 13, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Brain Center, in partnership with the Miami, FL campus of the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS), is set to launch a powerful public education program to help nonprofessional caregivers of Alzheimer's patients provide better care and manage the stress that comes from their duties. The Brain Center's Alzheimer's Caregivers Course is designed for people with little to no healthcare experience, giving family Alzheimer's caregivers a vital support network as well as access to expert knowledge and resources. The first course will occur on Saturday, July 15^th.

Researchers predict 78 million people worldwide will live with dementia or Alzheimer's by 2030. Meanwhile, around 80% of Alzheimer's care is provided by unpaid caregivers, typically family members, who often lack important knowledge about the illness. These statistics underline the pressing need for access to high-quality education like that offered through the Brain Center's Alzheimer's Caregivers Course.

In the Brain Center's Alzheimer's Caregivers Course, licensed healthcare professionals teach community members the pathology of Alzheimer's disease, prevention, and redirection strategies to manage difficult behaviors, professional care techniques to assist with activities of daily living, and stress reduction techniques for the caregivers themselves. Caregivers also get to take part in a high-tech simulation of life with dementia, called Dementia Live™, that will help them understand what their patients are feeling.

"The responsibility of supporting an Alzheimer's patient can be isolating and overwhelming," said Carolina Hoires, Director of Social Services at the Brain Center. "This program will do so many good things at once—it will give members of the public a theoretical foundation, tools to improve the care they provide, tools to manage the distress they feel, and, maybe most importantly, the solace of a community of people navigating the same path they are."

USAHS believes the Brain Center's Alzheimer's Caregivers Course will also supplement their students' knowledge of healthcare roles and responsibilities. The program aims to provide USAHS students at the Miami campus opportunities to observe, participate, and assist with activities planned for the course, to give them a sense of the essential influence of caregivers on patient outcomes and help them become more well-rounded practitioners in their later careers.   

"USAHS is committed to building a better, healthier world by any means we can," said Christine Salmon, assistant professor at USAHS and a physical therapist and geriatric certified specialist. "This initiative reflects that commitment by broadening community access to Alzheimer's education and resources while allowing the next generation of providers to gather insights into the caregiver's role in the big picture."  

The Brain Center's Alzheimer's Caregivers Course will run multiple times a year. The first course on Saturday, July 15^th is at capacity and registrants are joining a waitlist. Those who are interested in learning more about the course or wish to register for a future course should contact the Brain Center at 305-856-8940 X105 and ask to speak with Griselle Solorzano.

You can also learn more about the course at www.braincenter.org.

About the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences

The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS) is a graduate institution that offers degree programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, graduate nursing, education, health science and healthcare administration, as well as continuing education programs. Founded in 1979, USAHS educates students through its network of campuses in San Marcos, California; St. Augustine and Miami in Florida; and Austin and Dallas in Texas. USAHS is regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), 1001 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 402, Alameda, CA 94501, (510) 748-9001, https://www.wscuc.org/about/, and demonstrates its commitment to social responsibility through its B Corp certification. For more information: www.usa.edu.

SOURCE University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences