The Aging and Disability Resource Center of Ozaukee County will offer free education courses for caregivers of people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia.
Savvy Caregiver is a six-week program that teaches strategies, skills and helps to reduce stress. Sessions will be hosted at the ADRC of Ozaukee County, 121 W. Main St., Port Washington from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays between Feb. 1 and March 8.
The course will cover topics including understanding the career of caregiving and different types of dementia, fitting tasks and activities to the person’s abilities, how the decline in cognition affects behavior, dealing with the feelings that arise while caregiving and decision-making skills.
“While not a support group, the participants will share their own real-world experiences
which will provide examples for the training lessons,” the ADRC of Ozaukee County said in a statement.
The program also aims to increase a caregiver’s sense of competence and well-being.
“Love brings most of us to the caregiving role; however, it does not provide us with the knowledge, skills, strategies or techniques that are necessary to deliver high-quality care and lessen the caregiver’s stress,” the ADRC said.
Kenneth Hepburn, a professor at the University of Minnesota, developed the program’s curriculum. Lessons will be presented through lectures, discussions, videos and printed materials.
An academic trial showed the program has demonstrated that it could be offered in a variety of settings and that it had benefits for caregivers, according to the Minnesota State University, Mankato website.
Caregivers can register by calling dementia care specialist Sarah Prohuska at 262-284-8120. Prohuska and other dementia care specialists in Wisconsin were trained over the summer as part of a grant awarded by the Administration on Community Living to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
Up to 14 people can participate in the program. If capacity is reached, caregivers will join a waitlist for programs that will be hosted next summer and fall. Caregivers who reside in other counties can check with their local ADRC.
Virtual workshops will be hosted by Milwaukee County dementia care specialists from 10 a.m. to noon Fridays between Feb. 4 and March 11 and 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays between Nov. 1 and Dec. 6, 2022. To register, email [email protected] or call 414-289-6259.
Eddie Morales can be reached at 414-223-5366 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @emoralesnews.
