Pittsburgh Regional Dementia Caregiver Training and Employment Program

The University of Pittsburgh’s Pittsburgh Regional Dementia Caregiver Training and Employment Program was awarded a grant through the Henry L. Hillman Foundation as a part of its Healthy Aging Challenge. The University of Pittsburgh’s primary team and core advisors leading this caregiver initiative consist of experienced clinicians and dementia care experts in Pitt’s Division of Geriatric Medicine, Departments of Psychiatry and Neurology, and Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.

UPMC Senior Services is a partner in this program to provide this training to family caregivers, professionals, and intergenerational champions.

Experts include:

This program will consist of elements from the Positive Approach to Care® education program as well as curriculum developed from UPMC Senior Services. These trainings allow caregivers and champions to learn practical skills to better communicate and engage with people living with dementia and gain knowledge about the cognitive and behavioral changes that arise. Activities include role-playing, presentations, exercises, and group interactions.

Training Modules

Module 1 – What is Dementia? How Do We Help?

Participants will learn the cognitive changes that are taking place in the brain of a person living with dementia. Then they will use that knowledge to build awareness and skills as care partners to better communicate using visual, verbal, and touch cues to support the person living with dementia.

Module 2 – Approach to Brain Change

The focus will be on learning practical and specific skills while utilizing a Positive Physical Approach (PPA)^™ towards the person living with dementia and how participants can help and best engage. They will learn the Hand-under-Hand^® approach that can support the person living with dementia maintain aspects of independence as well as complete needed tasks while caregiving.

Module 3 – Team Approach to Unexpected Behaviors

Participants will identify dementia-related behaviors as potentially preventable non-verbal communications and/or expressions of unmet needs. They will learn how to intervene using a team-based resident centered approach to prevent and/or decrease triggers of dementia related behaviors.

Who should participate and which module(s) to attend?

Informal caregivers (family, friends, neighbors), formal caregivers (professionals), intergenerational champions (young adults).

All training sessions are hosted in Allegheny County.
Each training module lasts approximately two hours.
Training is free thanks to support from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation as a part of its Healthy Aging Challenge.

Module 1 is for informal caregivers, formal caregivers, intergenerational champions.
Module 2 is for informal caregivers, formal caregivers.
Module 3 is for informal caregivers, formal caregivers.

Upcoming Trainings

Visit the registration site to find details regarding upcoming training sessions. Please note trainings are actively being scheduled. To be updated on future trainings, fill out the form below.

Learn More

If you would like to attend or learn more about this program, please contact 866-430-8742, email UPMCSeniorServices@UPMC.edu, or fill out the form below. Join us on Facebook.

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Educational content developed from UPMC Senior Services programming including Ageless Wisdom Train the Trainer™ and INSPIRE.

Educational content provided by Positive Approach® is used with permission and based on the GEMS® and the techniques, strategies, and overall approach to care created and developed by Positive Approach, LLC. www.teepasnow.com