Dementia training for caregivers

By Kristen Sutherland, Pine Tree Hospice Executive Director

Giving care to someone with dementia is a complex and highly demanding labor of love. As the demands faced by caregivers increase, understanding those challenges offers greater power to manage them.

Knowledge is Power is a series of five online classes designed for current caregivers and those who want to learn more about caregiving for someone with dementia. This series has been developed to share practical, topic-specific information using professional resources. Classes include Tools for Caregiving, with focus on simple ways to manage the challenge of caregiving while practicing self-care and One Day at a Time, where the class will look at evolving expectations to match disease progression.   

The developer and facilitator of this series is Cheryl Crabtree, coordinator of volunteers & client Services at Pine Tree Hospice. Cheryl brings significant knowledge on caregiving and designed this to be different than most of the dementia training available. In the process of sharing knowledge and resources focused on dementia diseases the class setting offers opportunities to share the emotional impact and demands of caregiving. 

Cheryl states, “We hope that family, friends, and caregivers will join us as we try to look at key challenges of caregiving loved ones with dementia. Each class will have targeted goals, short presentation, discussion, and resource recommendations.” 

Classes will be held bi-monthly on Tuesdays beginning Jan. 4 and include Jan. 18, Feb. 1 and 15 and conclude on March 1.  All classes will be held 10-11:30 a.m. online, via Zoom, allowing caregivers to learn from home. These classes are brought to you by Pine Tree Hospice, as part of our Caring for the Caregiver series.  

Please email Pine Tree Hospice at info@pinetreehospice.org or call 207-802-8078 to register.  Unfamiliar with Zoom? Let us know and we will assist you in getting set up prior to the first class.