— Training and exam are aimed at implementing latest evidenced-based practices to ensure quality dementia care for a growing number of Americans —

CHICAGO, Oct. 15, 2024 — The Alzheimer’s Association essentiALZ® — Training and Certification program is expanding to include Spanish-language content. Launched in 2020, the program is aimed at educating professional care providers in long-term and community-based care settings — such as nursing homes, assisted living and home care — on current evidence-based, person-centered practices to care for people living with dementia.

The essentiALZ program offers an opportunity for professional care providers to receive high-quality care training and certification based on the nationally recognized Dementia Care Practice Recommendations, a set of evidence-based, person-centered dementia care practices to define quality care across all care settings and throughout the course of the disease. Since its launch, more than 9,200 professional care providers have completed the training and certification program.

The new Spanish-language materials include videos of Spanish-speaking professional care providers discussing how they apply person-centered care approaches in their settings. It is estimated that nearly 1 in 7 professional health care providers is Hispanic or Latino (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). According to the 2020 Profile of Hispanic Americans Age 65 and Older report, the Hispanic population is projected to comprise 21% of the older population by 2060.

“These new materials address a critical need in the ongoing efforts by the Alzheimer’s Association to ensure all communities have access to high-quality, person-centered dementia care,” said Emily Shubeck, director, quality care, Alzheimer’s Association. “Not only are Hispanic individuals at greater risk for dementia, but Hispanics make up a sizable proportion of the professional care provider workforce. We hope these new materials will ensure language is not a barrier to professional care providers having access to evidence-based dementia care training that can improve dementia care.”

The three-hour online training program is a self-paced curriculum for new and experienced care professionals. The program features five topic areas from the Dementia Care Practice Recommendations, which intersect most directly with daily care, including:

• Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
• Person-centered care.
• Assessment and care planning.
• Activities of daily living.
• Dementia-related behaviors and communication.

The purchase of essentiALZ includes access to an individual certification exam developed based on the practices put forth in the Dementia Care Practice Recommendations that demonstrate knowledge of quality care dementia practices. With successful completion of the training program, care professionals are eligible to take the exam. Individuals who pass the exam are certified in essentiALZ for two years, demonstrating their commitment and knowledge of providing personalized, person-centered, quality dementia care.

According to the 2024 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report, it is estimated that 65% of older adults living with Alzheimer’s or other dementias reside in the community (outside a hospital or clinical setting). About 26% of these individuals live alone, but the remainder receives care from family members, unpaid caregivers, and community-based and residential care providers. By age 80, 75% of people with Alzheimer’s dementia are admitted to a nursing home.

As the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias grows, it’s more important than ever for care professionals to implement the latest approaches to quality care. High-quality dementia care training can lead to an improvement in communication between caregivers and individuals living with dementia, a reduction in dementia-related behaviors and an increase in job satisfaction and staff retention.

Based on the Facts and Figures report, nearly 7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease today. It is a leading cause of death in the United States. The number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s is projected to reach nearly 13 million by 2050, unless more effective treatments are advanced.

Informed by leading dementia researchers and practitioners, the Alzheimer’s Association offers a comprehensive suite of flexible options for providers and individuals to implement quality care for people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia.

For more information, visit: essentiALZ — Alzheimer’s Association Training and Certification.
 

About the Alzheimer’s Association

The Alzheimer’s Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementia®. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.