Tag Archives: CMS dementia training

Why State Dementia Training Requirements Are Expanding

More than 5.5 million people across the United States are living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.  As the baby boom generation ages, the numbers are projected to grow at alarming rates.  Although state dementia training requirements vary greatly, overall requirements are expanding for certified nursing assistants, administrators, licensed practical nurses, health aides, personal care assistants and law enforcement and emergency personnel.

People living with dementia are living in a variety of settings – nursing homes, independent and assisted living communities, adult day centers and at home.  Professionals and families provide daily care, but beyond that, the community at large is touched by dementia.  Our police, firefighters, and emergency personnel come in contact with persons living with dementia.  Hospitals are treating more persons with dementia every day.  Social workers, too are helping a growing number of persons with dementia and their families.  Volunteers in a variety of settings are assisting persons with dementia and their families.  the need for dementia training is growing and state requirements are expanding to meeting the demands across the healthcare spectrum.

Until just a few years ago, state dementia training requirements were minimal, with the exception of a few states that were leading the charge, thanks to visionary leaders that saw the when those caring for persons with dementia had little or no training, the quality of care is greatly compromised.

Although states are deciphering best practices in dementia care, as we understand more about the needs of persons with dementia and how to best serve them and their families,  more defined training requirements and being implemented quickly.  Person-centered care practices, when integrated properly, can lead to a transformational change in the quality of care.  Quality dementia training leads to reduced care partner stress and equips caregivers with effective tools to better respond and meet the needs of persons living with dementia.

Improving state training requirements is incredibly important work as we prepare for the fast-growing numbers of people who will be entering long term care.   As we move forward, it is our hope that states are expanding training requirements for those who serve people in all settings, not just those facilities that market themselves as serving individuals living with dementia.  Adult day centers,  assisted living and independent living communities are all seeing a dramatic rise in serving persons with dementia.

When communities train all of their staff who interact with their residents, person-centered culture change is possible.  This includes dietary, housekeeping, maintenance, administrators and others.

And finally, states are looking at programs that are effective, feasible and lead to sustainable change.  This is not easy, as program implementation across large entities requires training providers who are adaptable, understand the needs of that organization, and are equipped to partner with organizations to effect positive change.

Pam Brandon is President/Founder of AGE-u-cate Training Institute and a passionate advocate for older adults and those who serve them.  She is the creator of the internationally acclaimed Dementia Live® empathy training program and led the development of Compassionate Touch®, a clinically proven skilled touch program for those living with dementia and at end-of-life.  Pam may be contacted at pam@ageucate.com.

 

 

 

Mandatory Dementia Care Training: A Good Start

Dementia care training: learning is just the first step.
Learning is just the first step in dementia care training.

Many  adults with dementia reside in nursing homes or assisted living. Still others attend adult day care  or receive home care services. The need for caregivers to provide quality care has never been greater. Dementia care training standards is a hot topic since federal and state legislation established new mandatory dementia care training requirements.

The New Training Standards:
 Each organization is now tasked with ensuring that training requirements are met. This applies not only to direct-care staff, but ALL new and existing staff. Maintenance, dietary, office workers,  volunteers and contracted workers are included. The new regulations require a specific number of hours of dementia training when first employed, as well as annual training updates.

The Federal Register published October 4, 2016 provides only broad guidelines for training topics in Section 483.95. It states training topics must include:

  • Communication
  • Resident rights
  • Abuse and neglect
  • Quality assurance and performance improvement
  • Infection control
  • Ethics and behavioral health

For nurse aides serving  individuals with cognitive impairment, training “must address the care of the cognitively impaired.” Also required is training for feeding assistants.

Most who work in eldercare want to feel confident in their jobs and welcome training. However,  I think it’s time to leave behind the monthly required employee in-service model.  I’m sure I’m not alone in having presented at these meetings only to find a lethargic audience that was there only to pick up their paychecks after the meeting.  Consequently, nothing productive, let alone inspiring, results.  It begs the question: What kind of training truly leads to dementia care competency?  Furthermore, how can mandatory training reach beyond the basics to change attitudes and actions?

Re-frame Training: Now is the Time
In a series of posts I’ll explore components of core education that will help meet the new training standards. Especially relevant, training should lead to skills, knowledge and behavior expected for the delivery of dementia services.  What components do you think are essential?

Dementia Training Regulations – Positive Changes in Resident Care

Dementia Training RegulationsNew CMS dementia training regulations to enhance person-centered care practices. Any new regulation makes us quiver. More paperwork, increased oversight, complex guidelines. But the new CMS dementia training requirements under Section 483.95 is one step closer to creating communities focused on person-centered care.
Training will be extended beyond nurse aides to include all staff.
This is huge! It only makes sense that if nurse aides receive quality dementia training that this include therapy, social services, dietary, dining services, management, volunteers and contracted employees. When everyone who interacts with that resident or patient is trained in communications and responding to behaviors, we will see culture changes taking place, more accurate accountability and outcomes tracking and a more satisfied workforce.
Innovative dementia training across the long term care spectrum is growing exponentially as eldercare becomes more about dementia care.
Leaders should be looking not only at core competency training but how their education and training will be integrated and serve as an ongoing team building and staff development tool. What measures will be established to ensure that staff empowerment is taking place, particularly in the challenging areas of communications, understanding resident rights, abuse prevention and behavioral health.
Workforce retention is a hot topic and promises to be at the top of the list for many years. If training programs do not tools and techniques that will empower and instill confidence in skills, encourage new ideas (that we listen to and implement!), we will see far too many front line workers leave the senior care industry. None of us can afford to see this happen.
What a great time to reassess where we’ve been in the areas of staff training and ongoing education for all of our stakeholders, and we include families and our local community when we look at the far reaching effects that dementia has at all levels of our society.
New regulations are the impetus for us to change our thinking and this is exciting!

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-10-04/pdf/2016-23503.pdf

Federal Register