To better serve those in their care living with dementia, Hope’s nurses, chaplains and social workers completed Aliviado Dementia Care, a specialized training program created for hospice care teams.
Hope’s staff members learned about recognizing different types of dementia in older adults, identifying strategies for treating pain, and tailoring care for people with dementia through an interactive, video-based program. Studying the most up-to-date, evidence-based best practices also helps the Hope Hospice team improve communication with family caregivers.
“At Hope, we’re focused on and improving the quality of life through exceptional care, comfort and support,” said Samira K. Beckwith, president and CEO of Hope Healthcare. “Our team’s commitment to continuing education and professional development ensures we offer the highest level of compassionate care possible for our community’s families and their loved ones.”
Approximately 16 percent of patients in hospice care have dementia as their primary diagnosis, according to New York University’s Rory Meyers College of Nursing, making it the second most common hospice diagnosis after cancer. Alzheimer’s disease, which is a form of dementia, was the sixth leading cause of death in the United States in 2019.
