Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia Care Seminar
National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners
International Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners Helpful Information
CDP certification benefits and value for HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS are:
• Become a member of a respected organization that was founded in 2003 and is known for comprehensive dementia education and recognized certifications.
• Investment in yourself and your career path.
• Preparation for higher job responsibilities and employability.
• Increased opportunities
• Opens the door to potential career advancement and earning potential.
• Organizations like and value that their staff possess certifications, licenses and credentials.
• Commands recognition from peers.
• Adds credibility to your profession.
• Increases self confidence in problem solving skills.
• Increases personal and professional credibility.
• Reinforces your commitment to professional excellence.
• CDP certification shows evidence of a health care professionals commitment to a specific sub population, the Alzheimer’s / dementia client.
• CDP certifications are models for other health care professionals to follow.
• CDP certification provides more leaders for the health care field.
• CDP certification promotes best practice in the field of Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care Education.
• Certification promotes education and in turn promotes professionalism.
• Certification develops a sense of pride and provides the best Alzheimer’s and Dementia care for the patient.
• Having a CDP shows the personal commitment as evidenced by their education and training above and beyond what their peers have.
• A CDP brings Dementia skills and knowledge to their agency, patients and the families.
• A CDP enhances and validates the ongoing dementia care that the health care professional provides.
• A CDP professional provide families with security and comfort in knowing that their loved one is being care for by skilled, caring and competent professionals who have completed extensive comprehensive Alzheimer’s and Dementia training.
• One of the most important benefits is maintaining the CDP certification, through continued education, every two years in order to maintain their CDP certification.
• CDP recertification insures that the professional is staying informed in the latest developments.
• Improved patient interventions and outcomes.
It is a benefit to the health care facility to hire health care professionals who have this certification. CDP certifications assist the employer in evaluating potential new hires, evaluate job performance and motivate other employees to seek CDP certification.
The Value and Benefits to the HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATION are:
• Hiring front line staff and professionals who are committed to the NCCDP exceptional standards regarding quality of life and quality of care of your dementia patients as they have completed comprehensive dementia education and are CDP certified.
• The employer’s seeks to provide comprehensive dementia education on ongoing dementia education because of the benefits to the staff and residents by insuring staff are well trained and staff is CDP certified.
• Company through CQI continues to see a reduction in abuse and neglect incidents because the staff is dementia trained and CDP certified.
• A Trust and knowledge in the CDP health care professionals work.
• Increase the efficiency of your staff working with dementia.
• CDP are models to other health care professionals to follow.
• Confident in the competence level of your staff working with dementia patients.
• Increase Patient safety
• Increase customer and family satisfaction.
• Providing quality of care.
• Knowledge and interventions for difficult behaviors, ADL Care and appropriate activities.
• Organizational efficiencies.
• Reduced staff turnover due to burn out when lacking proper training.
• Increase staff retention and satisfaction.
• Increases organization understanding of Alzheimer’s and Dementia care.
• Family confidence in facilities who have hired trained and certified CDP health care professionals.
• Improves facility and dementia unit image.
• Demonstrates staff credibility.
• Identifies leadership potential in a CDP.
• Greater respect for staff who are CDP certified by peers and clients.
• Offer a competitive edge when hiring CDP and providing comprehensive Alzheimer’s and Dementia training to all staff.
• CDP individuals have the knowledge to provide competent dementia care.
• CDP certification is an investment in your staff and their future as their employer.
• Improved patient interventions and outcomes.
• To promote CDP certification as an institutional goal to validate best practice guidelines set forth by local, federal and aging institutions and or organizations.
• To ensure that continuing Alzheimer’s and Dementia education are provided and
• Through continuous quality improvement show improved Alzheimer’s and dementia care by the CDP.
• Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) is an objective measure of knowledge which validates a health care professional is qualified to provide Alzheimer’s and Dementia care.
• Health care employers should seek out and employ Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP).
• Health care employers should seek out and employ certified NCCDP / CDP Trained Alzheimer’s and Dementia trainers to provide competent Alzheimer’s and Dementia training to staff.
It is a benefit to the health care facility to hire health care professionals who have this certification. CDP certifications assist the employer in evaluating potential new hires, evaluate job performance and motivate other employees to seek CDP certification.
The benefits and value for the PATIENT, RESIDENT and or CLIENT who are cared for by Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) are:
• Sensitive care by a trained and CDP certified Health care professionals means better care
• Reduced risk for injury and increased comfort during ADL care by trained health care professionals who are CDP certified.
• Provide effective and appropriate activities for the Alzheimer’s / dementia patient.
• Is able to provide sensitive psychosocial support to the patient and the families.
• Educated and trained in the areas of end of life care and comfort measures for the end stage dementia patient. • Better outcomes means greater satisfaction for patients, residents and family members.
A better educated employee is more likely to care for their patient, client, or resident in the best possible way. This commitment to dementia education will help to maximize satisfaction and outcomes.
The Reminiscence Program
Personal identity can slip away as cognitive abilities unfortunately start to decline in seniors especially those with dementia. It’s amazing to see that although current events may become more difficult to remember, seniors often hold onto cherished memories from their past.
The ability of seniors to RECALL and CONNECT to a shared history is exciting to see. Whether the artifact is an old inkwell, or a toy soldier, seniors recall these items and enjoy going back in time.
The artifacts found and discussed help stimulate fond thoughts and memories of the past. (see diagram below) We use the vintage artifacts to help seniors recall some of those memories. Simple conversations and storytelling can help individuals feel less isolated and more connected to the present. Sharing memories can help develop more positive feelings while reducing stress and agitation even if for a short time. With minimal prompting, seniors may recall memories from childhood and young adulthood. There are many other benefits of the program. These other benefits include: increased pleasurable social interaction, decreased boredom, and increased self esteem and identity as seniors express their shared history.
HOW THE PROGRAM WORKS
The artifacts are the hub and a catalyst for the many various memories. Those memories can be from a variety of different stages of the seniors life and personal history. These unique memories are stored mostly in the Hippocampus but also in other parts of the brain. Even brilliant neurologist are conflicted on exactly were and how these memories are retrieved and stored. All we know is that by revisiting these artifacts and images from the past it brings great joy to the senior.
