Supporting the Caregivers of People Living with Dementia
What You’ll Learn
- Describe the population of dementia caregivers, their many responsibilities, and the impact of caregiving on the caregiver.
- Understand tools that providers can use to assess caregiver well-being and steps that they can take to ensure that caregivers’ needs are addressed.
- Describe the importance of providing referrals to community-based support services and understand how to locate local sources of respite care, support groups, caregiver education, safe return programs, and more.
This course was created with generous support from the nonprofit Gary and Mary West Health Institute.
What You’ll Earn
After completing the course, you’ll earn a Verification of Attendance certificate.
Only CAPC members who are logged in can earn the following free Continuing Education Credits:
- 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™
- Case Management: 1.00 CE
- Nursing: 1.00 CNE
- Social Work: 1.00 CE (NYSED)
- Social Work: 1.00 CE (NASW)
This course is open-to-all at no cost.
StartTake the course
Download your certificate
Tools & Resources
CaringKind's flyer informing of their new guide: Finding Comfort: LIving with Advanced Dementia in Residential Care
Print or email this handout of caregiver resources for education and support.
Validated tools for assessing caregiver health and well-being.
Community-based resource locators and support services.
Fill out this worksheet with contact information for community-based services in your area, and supply to clinical staff or patients and families.
Single source of detailed information to learn about and compare more than 40 evidence-based programs to support caregivers of people with dementia. For use by healthcare and community service organizations, providers, funders and policy makers.
Resource locator, education, and support for caregivers, including disease-specific information.
Medicare locator of home health agencies.
Guidance from the Alzheimer's Association on utilizing CPT code 99483.
Order free referral pads to easily connect caregivers and people living with dementia to the Alzheimer's Association.
A storytelling podcast about Alzheimer's and dementia caregiving.
Course citations. Center to Advance Palliative Care, 2019.
Shared by Caring.com
Shared by Caring.com
A journal article about a study of the effects of a nonpharmacologic intervention, Music and Memory (M&M), on residents with dementia and/or behavioral problems living in nursing homes.
Online Resource of Evidence-Based Dementia Caregiving Programs. Partnership between the Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging and the Family Caregiver Alliance. Presentation to the Dementia Care Alliance, June 2, 2021.
Course Faculty
Cindy Barton, MSN, GNP, BC. Nurse Practitioner, UCSF Memory and Aging Center.
Andrew E. Esch, MD, MBA. Consultant Center to Advance Palliative Care.
Stefanie Bonigut, LCSW. Family Services Manager. Alzheimer's Association of Northern California and Northern Nevada.
Jim Palmer, MSW, LCSW. Palliative Care Social Worker. Mount Sinai Hospital.
Marta Kazandijan, MA, CCC-SLP, BSC-S. Director, Division Speech Pathology and Swallowing. New York Presbyterian Queens and Silvercrest Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation.
Gina Decker. Caregiver.
Constance Dahlin, MSN, ANP-BC, ACHPN, FPCN, FAAN. Consultant, Center to Advance Palliative Care.
Peer Reviewers
Komal D’Souza, MD. Palliative Medicine, Northwestern Medicine.*
Karl Bezak, MD. Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Palliative Care and Medical Ethics, University of Pittsburg (UPMC).*
Melissa Bakar, MD. Assistant Professor, Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Nora Brennan, RN. Cardiology. University of Pennsylvania Hospital System.
Gail Gongaware, RN, BSN, CCM, MS. Education manager, Education and Training, VNSNY.
Kristin Chouinard, RN, CHPN. Gerontology. North Shore Elder Services, Partners Healthcare.
Philip Higgins, PhD, LICSW. President, Lighthouse Counseling of Salem, Inc.
*indicates ABIM Peer Reviewer
Contact information: For answers to frequently asked questions about CAPC courses, read the Online Course FAQ. For technical questions about course activity, email [email protected]. For questions about continuing education credits, contact 201-957-0077.
Provided by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Disclosing a dementia diagnosis to patients and caregivers in a way that is sensitive, clear, and supportive.
Helping patients and caregivers understand challenges they may face as dementia worsens.
Enabling patients and caregivers to plan ahead for the financial, legal, and other impacts of dementia.