As June came to a close, so did RVNAhealth’s first Dementia Education & Resources series. Thanks to a grant from Union Savings Bank and support from our donors, RVNAhealth introduced the program in February, a series of 7 educational presentations to bring much-needed education and awareness to those affected by dementia or interested in learning more. With statistics stating that one in three seniors, ages 65+, will develop some form of dementia, many are surprised to find that community resources and education specific to dementia are lacking. As RVNAhealth’s first educational-focused series on dementia, “Our goal was to help fill the resources gap and provide those impacted by dementia with tools, support, and a sense of community. This was a great first step in the dementia education space. We look forward to repeating these presentations and bringing new requested topics and content based upon our attendee feedback,” says Gigi Weiss, MSPT, RVNAhealth Senior Director of Rehabilitative Therapies and Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP). P.S. – Read through to the end to find our video library of dementia presentations! 

Dementia Resource Building

Adding dementia education to RVNAhealth’s community education programming calendar was a natural step. With numerous Certified Dementia Practitioners on staff, RVNAhealth offers a broad array of care and support services, delivered by employees with the expertise needed to deliver exceptional communication and assistance between our team, the caregiver, patient, and family. Some of those services include:

• Dementia Caregiver Support Group: In support of the challenges and needs facing the caregiving population, RVNAhealth offers a Dementia Caregiver Support group monthly, in coordination with the Alzheimer’s Association. Held on the fourth Monday of every month from 11:00am-12:00pm at the RVNAhealth Ridgefield office, the caregiver support group aims to create a safe, confidential, supportive environment and a chance for participants to develop informal mutual support and social relationships. They also educate and inform participants about dementia and help participants develop methods and skills to solve problems.
• Personal Medical Alert Services: At the early stages of a dementia diagnosis, when round the clock care may not be necessary, a personal medical alert device can provide caregiver peace of mind for the health and well-being of a loved one. RVNAhealth offers a variety of in-home and on-the-go Lifeline device options.
• Rehabilitation Services: Rehabilitation services help patients extend their independence in activities and speech.  Occupational and Speech Therapists help to stimulate cognitive and fine motor skills while providing practical tools to maximize activity, safety, and enhance quality of life.
• Nutrition Services: Nutrition services for dementia, offered by our Registered Dietitian, are aimed at promoting appetite, healthy body weight, and positive engagement with food, while balancing each patient’s unique nutritional needs.
• Private Duty Caregivers: Available as hourly or live-in, our private duty caregivers can provide a variety of non-medical personal and household assistance based upon a patient’s evolving needs.
• Private Duty Nursing: Providing immediate access to care for medical needs and treatments not covered by insurance.  From medical care in the home, to medication preparation and administration, to peace of mind medical assessments and vital sign checks when getting to the doctor is too difficult – Private Duty Nurses provide immediate and customized care in coordination with a patient’s doctor.
• Palliative & Hospice Care: For advanced dementia disease, palliative and hospice care with RVNAhealth provides in-home comfort care and peace to patient and family. An experienced team consisting of medical, social, spiritual, and family support volunteers bring their expertise and experience in dementia care to families and their loved ones.

Stay in Touch for Dementia News and Programming

To stay in touch with us about details or to register for any of these or RVNAhealth’s other educational and program offerings, please check out our calendar of events regularly. And if you would like to subscribe to our RVNAhealth Dementia-specific communications, please sign up HERE.

Dementia Presentation Video Library

For those that may have missed our presentations, or would like to go back and review topics, we are pleased to provide our dementia video library of the following recorded presentations:

 

About RVNAhealth

RVNAhealth is a private, 501c(3) non-profit organization which provides a continuum of care to people in 35+ towns across Fairfield, Litchfield, and New Haven Counties. RVNAhealth depends on financial support from individuals like you who believe that healthy communities improve the quality of life for everyone. Every gift — no matter the size — is critical to upholding our mission and sustaining our important work. If you would like to support RVNAhealth’s mission to deliver unmatched, compassionate healthcare when and where it is needed, please click here.