Home Instead Senior Care is offering a unique approach to help families throughout the country manage the challenges of Alzheimer’s and other dementias, diseases that eventually rob older people of their memories and independence. Free training for families caregivers is now available through 30 free training workshops taking place throughout the country in the lead up to World Alzheimer’s Day. Sunday, 21st September.
Though research continues, there is currently no cure for Alzheimer’s disease. But until there is a cure, there is care. This workshop is specially designed for family caregivers and offers a personal approach to help families care for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease at home. 60-70% of people with dementia in Ireland currently live at home in the community and rely on family caregivers.
“Until there is a cure, we offer an interim solution,” said Ed Murphy, founder of Home Instead Senior Care in Ireland. The purpose of the Alzheimer’s Confidence to Care Workshops is to support family caregivers when it comes to understanding dementias and providing care at home for a loved one.
The Home Instead Senior Care network assembled the top experts in Alzheimer’s disease across the globe to develop this new training and support programme for family caregivers. “The training we’re offering to families is the same kind of training our professional caregivers receive. We want to support family caregivers, help them better understand this condition and encourage them care for themselves while also caring for loved ones,” he noted.
The workshop for family caregivers consists of four classes: Alzheimer’s Disease or Other Dementias Overview; Capturing Life’s Journey; Techniques to Manage Behaviours; and Activities to Encourage Engagement. A free kit is available for those who are caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. Also called Confidence to Care, the kit includes advice and resources to help families keep the home safe for a person with a dementia as well as advice on caring for the caregiver.
“Confidence to Care is a wonderful hands-on approach that helps caregivers deal with the behavioural changes that too often accompany these disorders – one of the biggest stressors for caregivers. ,” said Dr. Jane F. Potter, who served on the expert panel to help develop content for the Alzheimer’s Confidence to Care training workshop.
“It is our intention that this workshop is a support to the many families in our area who are being impacted each day by this devastating disease,” Murphy said.
For more information about the free Confidence to Care workshop in your area, call 1890 930 847 or visit www.homeinstead.ie.