dementia caring at work education · 2019-09-26 · community members. education in 15 minutes....

DEMENTIA CARING AT WORK

EDUCATION

Trainer’s Guide

Restaurant and food industry

The Dementia Care and Cure Initiative

Thank you for taking the time and effort to help spread awareness and

information about dementia to your workplace, organization, or community!

The Dementia Care and Cure Initiative (DCCI) was introduced by the Florida

Department of Elder Affairs’ (DOEA) in August 2015. Florida seeks to lead the nation in

response to the increasing incidence of dementia by implementing a statewide effort to

become more Dementia Caring.

Florida’s Dementia-Caring Communities support individuals, families, and

caregivers affected by dementia. They empower those living with dementia to lead

active and purposeful lives, connect families to important resources, and work to resolve

the challenges that Alzheimer’s disease and dementia can bring to communities.

The education contained in this manual is intended to be an overview of

dementia including the impact dementia has on the community, the signs and

symptoms of dementia, and how everyone in a community can use easy and simple

communication techniques to promote compassionate and respectful interactions.

By completing this education with your staff, volunteers, or partners, you are a

part of a global movement to build communities that are inclusive, safe, and engaging

for people of all ages and health statuses. We hope this information assists in improving

your business or agency and helps build confidence in your staff to interact with a

diverse array of customers, clients, or patrons.

If you have any questions about this material or anything related to Dementia-

Caring Communities, please email [email protected].

Materials adapted from ACT on Alzheimer's® developed tools and resources. Rev. 10/22/2018

mailto:[email protected]


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Trainer Tips

You are not expected to be an expert on dementia. You are not expected to

know everything about Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Refer participants to the Area

Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida (293.652.6900) or to the Alzheimer’s

Association 24/7 Helpline (800.272.3900) for assistance in answering questions or

identifying community resources. For online information, participants can also visit:

http://www.alz.org.

Recognition as a Dementia-Caring business. Businesses and organizations

that provide this free education to at least 75% of their customer-facing staff will receive

a static window decal for their business to display however they choose. The

representative must fill out and submit the Record of Completion sheet (page 5) and

participants must have filled out the sign-in sheet (page 6-7) to receive the decal.

Businesses and organizations who receive the decal are encouraged to share it on their

Facebook page, website, or through other avenues. Let families in your local community

know you have taken the steps to be Dementia-Caring!

Pre- and Post-Tests. The use of Pre- and Post-Tests is not required but is

strongly suggested. These short tests aim to measure the attainment of knowledge by

community members.

Education in 15 minutes. This education is intended to be completed in 15

minutes or less. This information can be incorporated during existing meetings (e.g. line

meetings, staff meetings, round-up meetings etc.). This education can also be

expanded upon if time is available. If you would like a local aging professional to provide

a more in-depth presentation with you or your staff, please contact

[email protected].

Presenter text. Use the presenter text in each section to provide the material.

Feel free to follow it word for word or use it as a general guideline. Some sections will

have a Note to the presenter. These will be featured in red and should not be read out

loud.

Questions? Contact your local Dementia Care and Cure Initiative Task Force

at [email protected]

http://www.alz.org/

http://www.alz.org/





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Before Training:

Trainer Checklist

Decide on date and time you will complete training with your staff.

o Will it be during an existing meeting? o Will you be providing education to 75% of your staff to receive the decal?

▪ Will you have to do a few different sessions to cover all your staff?

Make sure you have received enough of the following materials from your local

Dementia Care and Cure Initiative Task Force:

o Pre-tests for all the staff that will be trained. o 1 Trainer Guide

▪ Includes:1 Record of Completion Sheet and 1 sign in sheet. These

must be turned in to receive your decal.

o Enough Participant Guides for all the staff that will be trained and a few extra for new staff members.

o Enough pocket guides for your staff. o 1 poster to display in an employee area. o Post-tests for all the staff that will be trained.

During Training:

If you will be using the pre- and post-tests, provide the pre-test to participants

beforehand.

o Scores are not released, and names are not required.

Have staff fill out the sign-in sheet (page 6-7).

Following this guide, complete the education with your staff.

Administer the post-test.

o Scores are not released, and names are not required.

Remind participants to complete the survey on the back of the post-test.

Fill out the Record of Completion sheet (page 5).

Turn in the Record of Completion sheet, the sign-in sheet, and any pre- and post-

tests completed through any one of the following ways:

o To your local Dementia Care and Cure Initiative Task Force Representative

o By scan and email to [email protected] o By mail:

▪ Laura Copeland

Florida Department of Elder Affairs

4040 Esplanade Way

Tallahassee, FL 32399



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Record of Completion

Please complete this sheet in full

Organization Name:

Date of session(s):

Time of session(s):

Total number of customer- facing staff, volunteers, representatives, or partners in your business or organization (customer facing representatives are individuals who spend any time interacting with customers or patrons):

Number of customer-facing staff in your business or organization who completed this education:

Name and phone number of individual facilitating education (i.e. the person leading the conversation using this material):

Please check this box if you utilized the pre- and post- tests:

If you would like to be recognized as a Dementia-Caring business and receive a

free window decal, you must complete and turn in the following:

• This page (Record of Completion)

• Sign-in sheet (page 6-7)

• Education to at least 75% of your customer-facing staff

If participants completed pre- and post-tests, please turn those in with the above

material. Pre- and post-tests are optional.

Materials may be submitted by:

• Handing them into your local Dementia Care and Cure Initiative Task Force

representative.

• By scan and email to [email protected]

• By mail:

o Laura Copeland

Florida Department of Elder Affairs

4040 Esplanade Way

Tallahassee, FL 32399



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Date:

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Name (printed) Position/Role Signature

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Section 1: Prevalence of dementia

Time: 2 minutes

Participant guide page:

3

Presenter: Today, we’re going to take some time to discuss Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

The book in front of you is for you to follow along with as I go through each section. This book is yours to keep so feel free to make notes or refer to it whenever you need to in the future.

This brief discussion will help make us more friendly, respectful, and better able to help customers who are living with or affected by dementia.

Chances are, you have already helped a customer who is currently living with dementia, is currently caring for someone with dementia, or who cared for someone with dementia in the past.

In Sarasota County alone, there are an estimated 21,235 individuals currently living with Alzheimer’s disease. This does not include individuals living with another form of dementia or who are living with the disease and are younger than 65. We’ll learn more about that in a second.

This also does not include the number of individuals who currently provide care for a loved one with dementia or used to do so. Dementia does not only affect the person diagnosed with the disease; it also impacts family and loved ones.

The state of Florida has the second highest incidence rate of Alzheimer’s disease with 560,000 individuals currently living with the disease. By 2025, there will be an estimated 720,000 individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease in Florida. Again, these numbers are not reflective of individuals living with other types of dementia. Right now, there are approximately 1,141,000 family caregivers in Florida who provide unpaid care for their loved ones.

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Section 2: What is dementia?

Time: 1 minute


4

Presenter: So, you have already heard me say a couple of terms: dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Dementia is not a specific disease. It's an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia and accounts for 60 to 80 percent of cases. Other types of dementia include Dementia with Lewy Bodies, Frontotemporal, and Vascular.

The picture in your book explains a little more about some of the different types of dementia. We’ll learn that dementia can affect people in diverse ways and symptoms can vary from person to person and from type to type.

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Section 3: Know the Signs of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

Time: 4 minutes


5-6

Presenter: According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are 10 early signs and symptoms of dementia.

Our role is not to diagnose someone with dementia, but rather to help that person more easily navigate our organization or community setting.

Someone living with dementia may exhibit many of these symptoms while others may not show any signs at all.

It’s also important to keep in mind that these signs and symptoms must be severe enough to interfere with a person’s ability to complete daily life tasks and functions. Forgetting where you set your keys down or forgetting the name of someone you just met does not necessarily indicate signs of a serious medical problem like dementia.

These signs and symptoms are not normal signs of aging either. In fact, you also don’t have to be “aging” or “old” to experience Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. The number of individuals living with dementia under the age of 65 is steadily increasing.

In your book, you will have all 10 of the signs and symptoms listed with some examples. I will only be highlighting 3 or 4 in our discussion today. Please take a few minutes in the future to examine all these symptoms and what that might look like in our customers.

Note to presenter: if time allows, please feel free to touch on all 10 of these signs and symptoms. You can also ask your staff for examples they may have encountered.

1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life

• This can include forgetting recently learned information, important dates or events, asking for the same information over and over, and needing assistance completing tasks that they used to be able to complete on their own.

• You may notice:

i. A customer might walk out of the store without paying for items.

ii. A customer might look to the person they are with to answer questions for them.

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iii. A customer may ask you for something you have already provided them.

2. Challenges in planning or solving problems

• This can include difficulty following a plan or directions. The person may have difficulty concentrating and take much longer to do things than before.

• You may notice:

i. Trouble handling money or paying the correct amount.

ii. Over tipping, under tipping, or incorrect calculations when totaling the bill.

3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks

• This can include trouble finding familiar places, managing finances, or recalling how to order something they normally order.

• You may notice:

i. A customer, who usually orders a certain item, may begin to order too much of it or is not certain why they even came into the store at all.

ii. A patron may come into your business and seem confused. They may ask why your business changed its name or location.

iii. A customer may have trouble ordering their meal or deciding what they would like to drink.

4. Confusion with time or place

• This can include a loss of knowing the date and time. It can also include not understanding what is currently happening in a situation or not knowing how they may have gotten there.

• You may notice:

i. A customer may not be dressed appropriately for the weather or situation (e.g. wearing shorts and a light t-shirt during the winter or wearing pajamas in a restaurant).

ii. A customer may try to enter your business before it opens or after it closes.

iii. A customer may have trouble finding your restroom even if a staff member provided directions to them.

5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships

• This can include general vision problems, difficulty reading, trouble judging distance, and determining color or contrast.

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• You may notice:

i. A customer may trip or have issues entering your business if you have a rug or other floor décor at the entrance. This can occur especially with dark colored rugs or mats.

ii. A customer may have trouble reading the menu, especially if there is “mood” lighting or minimal lighting at the table.

iii. A customer may easily trip or run into chairs and tables.

6. Problems with words in speaking or writing

• This can include having trouble following a conversation, repeating themselves, or stopping in the middle of a conversation. It may also include struggling with words by calling something by the wrong name or having trouble finding the right word.

• You may notice:

i. A customer points to an item on the menu instead of asking for it.

ii. A patron may say rude or “off the cuff” things to you or the people they are with.

iii. A customer may become frustrated when they cannot recall the name of something they may need at their table like silverware or a certain condiment.

7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps

• This can include putting things in unusual places or being unable to retrace steps to find items.

• You may notice:

i. A customer sets down their purse or wallet, cannot find it, and accuses you or a coworker of stealing it.

ii. A customer may leave their purse, wallet, or other important items behind.

8. Decreased or poor judgment

• This can include poor judgment when handling finances or paying less attention to personal grooming.

• You may notice:

i. A regular customer may suddenly start to give you large tips that they normally do not give.

ii. A customer may appear to have not showered or is wearing clothing that does not match the situation (e.g. wearing a long, formal dress in a casual restaurant; wearing a shirt inside out or backwards).

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9. Withdrawal from work or social activities

• This can include not returning to regularly attended hobbies, social activities, projects, or sports. This can also include an avoidance altogether of interacting with others and leaving their home.

• You may notice:

i. A regular customer suddenly stops coming to your business or comes alone when they used to come with a group.

10. Changes in mood and personality

• This can include somebody becoming easily startled, frustrated, angry, suspicious, or anxious.

• You may notice:

i. A customer begins crying suddenly in the middle of a conversation.

ii. A customer, who you normally know to be kind and soft spoken, begins speaking loudly and becomes belligerent with staff and other customers.

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Section 4: Know How to Communicate

Time: 5 minutes


7-9

Presenter: Now that we have a general understanding of what it may look like when a customer living with dementia comes into our business, we can now focus on how we can best communicate with customers to promote respectful, effective, and engaging interactions.

Communication is about what we say and how we say it. The tone of voice we use, and our body language, become more important as a person with dementia may lose their ability to understand spoken language.

Always use a calm voice and try not to speak loudly. Make sure you are talking to the person in a quiet environment so that they can focus on you and hear you easily. Smiling and gentle humor may also help the person feel more comfortable.

Consider your body language—how you are standing and how you use your arms and hands. Does your posture convey that you want to help or that you are frustrated?

The following are some simple tips any of us can use when interacting with customers who may be living with dementia. I will be reviewing these tips quickly, but your books provide an overview of these and some scenarios that will be useful to read later.

✓ Approach the person from the front. This can avoid startling a

person and allows for them to hear you better.

✓ Speak clearly and be patient. Allow the person time to respond to questions. If a person does not understand you, try asking the question in a different way. Try to avoid asking more than one question at a time and keep choices to a minimum. Avoid raising your voice.

✓ Listen closely. Even if a person seems confused or cannot find

the right words, you may be able to figure out what they are saying. Try not to interrupt or finish their sentence for them.

✓ Smile warmly and make eye contact. Even if someone has a

difficult time communicating, they may still be able to recognize a friendly face, a calm tone, and approachable body language. Allow for enough personal space but turn your body to face the

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person and avoid folding your arms or putting your hands on your hips. Avoid putting your hand over your mouth.

✓ Respond to a look of distress. Simply asking someone if they are okay can be relaxing to someone who needs help. If you are worried that someone is lost, ask them if they have any family members or friends you could help them call. Some persons keep lists of trusted contacts in their purse or wallet or wear medical alert bracelets with contact information. If necessary, the local police can also assist if someone appears to be lost and does not have a way to contact loved ones.

✓ Avoid arguing. Just as most of us do not like to be corrected or argued with in front of others, we do not want to do this with individuals living with dementia either. Avoid correcting individuals or pointing out their errors, especially if it is minor. For example, if a customer states, “It’s a beautiful evening tonight” during the lunch rush at 12:30pm, you might respond by agreeing that the weather is beautiful instead of pointing out that it’s currently the afternoon. Try to also avoid saying things like “You’ve asked for that and I already brought it to you”; “Remember? We’ve already discussed that”; or “I already told you my name”. If a customer repeats a question, respond as if you have not answered that before. If a customer is asking for something that you have already brought them, show them where that item is on the table.

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Section 5: Thank you & Resources

Time: 1 minute


10

Presenter: Thank you for your attention and time in learning about how we can be more dementia-caring.

There are several local resources anyone in the community can utilize if they have any questions or need to access resources in the community. Living with dementia and caring for someone with dementia comes with unique challenges. These resources can assist families and individuals live independent, healthy, and active lives.

These local resources are available in your book along with their contact information.

Thank you again for being a part of this community-wide effort to promote understanding, respect, and inclusion for so many of our fellow neighbors, customers, families, and friends.

Note to presenter: you do not need to read these resources out loud. They are listed as seen here in participants’ books.

The Caregiving Place at The Friendship Centers

941-556-3268 http://friendshipcenters.org/locations/sarasota

SMH Memory Disorder Clinic

941-917-7197 http://smh.com/Home/Services/Memory-Disorders

Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida 1-866-413-5337

http://aaaswfl.org/i-need-help

Florida Gulf Coast Alzheimer’s Association 1-800-272-3900 (24/7 Helpline)

www.alz.org/flgulfcoast

Jewish Family & Children’s Services 941-366-2224

http://www.jfcs-cares.org/

http://www.alzheimersproject.org/

http://www.alzheimersproject.org/

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Roskamp Institute Clinic

941-256-8018 https://www.roskampinstitute.org

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For Managers and Owners

Creating a Friendly Physical Space

There are a few things you can do to the physical environment or your business to

make it safer and more welcoming to people living with dementia:

✓ Entrances should be clearly visible and understood as an entrance. Make sure that glass doors are clearly marked.

✓ Signage for finding your way around should be clear, should use bold type, and

should have contrast between the words and the background. Signs should be

mounted to the doors or spaces they refer to – not mounted on nearby surfaces.

Signs should be at eye level and well-lit. Avoid using highly stylized or abstract

images or icons on signage. Think about placing signs at key decision points for

someone who is trying to navigate your premises for the first time. Signs for

getting to and from public restrooms are particularly important.

✓ Lighting at entrances should be high powered and include natural light when

possible. Avoid pools of bright light and deep shadows as they appear to be

“holes” to people with vision issues.

✓ Flooring should be plain, not shiny, and not slippery. Bold patterns on carpets,

curtains or wallpaper can cause perceptual problems; plain walls and flooring are

recommended. Keep floor finishes flush; stepped surfaces can cause confusion.

Pathways should be wide.

✓ A family/unisex restroom or changing facility will allow someone to be assisted without causing embarrassment to them or another user.

✓ Quiet areas for someone who may be feeling anxious or confused can help that person recover enough to independently complete what they were doing.

✓ Seating areas in large spaces, especially areas where people are waiting, can help someone relax.

✓ Layout of an area should be free of clutter and arranged to make it easy to move around.

dementia caring at work education · 2019-09-26 · community members. education in 15 minutes....

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