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Dementia Practitioner Certifications for Caregivers: Promoting a Standard of Excellence

Today, more than five million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). By 2050, this number is projected to nearly triple. In the wake of an ADRD epidemic, the need for specialized training and support for caregivers is critical to ensure highly proficient and sensitive direct care to this growing population.

In 2003, two innovators in dementia care, Sandra Stimson and Lynn Biot-Gordon, founded an organization devoted to promoting standards of excellence in ADRD education. Called the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCCDP), this group offers a Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) program to professionals and other caregivers who provide services to ADRD clients.

Bridging the Care Gap

“Currently, there are no national standards for dementia education, and regulations vary widely from state to state,” says Stimson, NCCDP’s chief executive officer. “The CDP program helps bridge the gap, providing best practices in caring for people who suffer from this disease. It’s designed for anyone who works with ADRD clients in a health care, home, or community setting– from nurses and home health aides to administrators, social workers, rehabilitation professionals, activity directors, dementia unit managers, and first responders.”

Building Knowledge & Skills

Healthcare practitioners in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and beyond have a prime opportunity to deepen their knowledge and skills in ADRD care at our NCCDP-sponsored Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care seminar. Our next Certified Dementia Care Practitioner training will take place on June 8th and 9th from 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM via a virtual conferencing platform. You can sign up for the course here.

The seminar fee is $175. (Discount available for organizations with 4 or more attendees. Email our team for more information.) Activity professionals, administrators, and social workers will receive seven Continuing Education Units for course completion.

Susan McKinney, CDP, CADDCT (certified Alzheimer’s disease and dementia care trainer), certified therapeutic recreation specialist, and Vice President of Operations at Lifetime Wellness, will teach the course. Lifetime Wellness is a leading provider of person-centered wellness, life enrichment, and recreational programming to senior living communities throughout Texas and Oklahoma. The company offers an array of nonpharmacological approaches to caring for people living with ADRD.


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On the Path To Improve Patient Care

“The Lewisville training is a required ‘live’ seminar for those professionals on the path to becoming a Certified Dementia Practitioner,” Stimson says.  “The dementia practitioner certification means you have the knowledge base and skill set to provide the best quality of care to those living with ADRD.

The seminar is also appropriate for anyone who wants to gain valuable information on ADRD care. “Along with learning in a face-to-face, interactive classroom environment, participants will receive a comprehensive notebook of course content. They will also receive a certified dementia practitioner application. After completing the seminar, they will have 30 days to submit their application to NCCDP for consideration to receive a Certified Dementia Practitioner certification.”

The Benefits of a Comprehensive Curriculum

As is true of all NCCDP training programs, the Lewisville seminar curriculum is extensive. It includes a wide range of topics, from diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment to behavioral issues, personal care needs, sexuality, staff, and family support, and end-of-life issues.

“When practitioners know better, they will do better,” Stimson says. “Our goal is to set the ‘Gold Standard’ in dementia education and certification, going above and beyond the minimum state requirements. We seek to inspire dedication in serving ADRD clients with unwavering competence – and abiding compassion.”