Dementia Care: Offering Engagement for People Living With Dementia

12-Month Subscription

Unlimited access to:

Thousands of CE Courses
Patient Education
Home Exercise Program
And more

Subscribe Now

First Chapter Free Buy Course

Video Runtime: 63 Minutes

This course will help clinicians and direct caregivers develop and offer activities and interactive opportunities that are appropriate and effective when someone is living with dementia. The course will help learners to better understand activities regarding their skill demands and value for the person. Emphasis will be placed on providing caregivers with ideas for key types of activities that promote interaction and engagement while reducing distress and isolation.

Meet your instructor

Teepa Snow

Teepa Snow is an advocate for those living with dementia and has made it her personal mission to help families and professionals better understand how it feels to be living with such challenges and seeks to change and improve life for everyone involved. Her practice has included everything from neuro-intensive care units in…

Read full bio

Chapters & learning objectives

1. Engaging People Who are Living with Dementia, What Does it Take?

This chapter will discuss ‘meaning’ in activity – purpose, value, intent, interest, and reason. This chapter will also describe the four primary categories of time use for human beings – work, rest, play, and self-care. Finally, this chapter will describe the importance of individualization and life history and roles in developing meaningful and successful activities for clients.

2. Engaging Diamonds and Emeralds

This chapter will compare and discuss the different GEMS States, specifically Diamonds and Emeralds and the need for people at different states to have engagement opportunities that match their interests and retained abilities. This chapter will use examples of meaningful activities to explore how each could be modified to meet the needs of residents at Diamond & Emerald levels of GEMS function. This chapter will also discuss strategies for helping residents become involved in activities. Finally, the chapter will introduce the concept of activity boxes and graded activities for people with dementia based on individual preferences, needs, abilities, and life histories and roles.

3. Engaging Ambers, Rubies, and Pearls

This chapter will compare and discuss the different GEMS States, specifically Ambers, Rubies and Pearls and the need for people at different states to have engagement opportunities that match their interests and retained abilities. This chapter will also use examples of meaningful activities to explore how each could be modified to meet the needs of residents at Amber, Ruby and Pearl levels of GEMS function. This chapter will discuss strategies for helping residents become involved in activities. Finally, this chapter will discuss the concept of activity boxes and graded activities for people with dementia based on individual preferences, needs, abilities, and life histories and roles.

4. Considering Your Options

This chapter will emphasize the importance of balancing the time spent in each category to maintain health and well-being for all people – comparing people with and without dementia on their ability to self-fulfill time use.

More courses in this series

Overview of Dementia: Alzheimer's, Vascular, Lewy Body, Frontotemporal

Teepa Snow

Dementia Care: Understanding Common Symptoms for Better Care

Teepa Snow

Dementia Care: Reducing the Risk of Challenging Situations

Teepa Snow

Dementia Care: Coping with Challenging Situations in Support & Care

Teepa Snow

Dementia Care: Using the GEMS States Model for Personal Care Tasks

Teepa Snow

Dementia Care: Communicating When Someone Has Dementia

Teepa Snow