(Left) Attorney Marcelene Santos, (Right) Jillette Torre Leon-Guerrero ()
September is World Alzheimer’s Month. To help raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, the Guam/Micronesia Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program (G/M GWEP) of the University of Guam School of Health will be offering a new training and certification program called “Dementia Advanced Care.”
Also featured this month are virtual presentations by Guam’s public guardian, Attorney Marcelene Santos, who will present “Legal Issues for the Elderly,” and local writer and genealogist Jillette Torre Leon-Guerrero, who will present “Reminiscence Therapy and Life Story Writing.”
CARES® Dementia Advanced Care™ Training and Certification Program Starting this September and continuing through the fall, G/M GWEP will provide an opportunity for caregivers of persons with dementia to participate in an online training and certification program called CARES® Dementia Advanced Care™. This award-winning program has six modules:
1) Making a Connection with the Person 2) Eating Well 3) Recognizing Pain 4) Minimizing Falls 5) Rethinking Wandering 6) Minimizing and Eliminating Restraints
Participants who complete all six modules will receive a certificate of completion and will be eligible for CARES® Dementia Certification. CARES® was created by HealthCare Interactive®, an organization that specializes in online training for caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. All of the CARES® training programs were developed in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association and include evidence-based strategies grounded in the Alzheimer’s Association Dementia Care Practice Recommendations.
“Legal Issues for the Elderly” with Attorney Marcelene C. Santos Guam Public Guardian Marcelene Santos will present “Legal Issues for the Elderly” on Sept. 14 and Sept. 17. This presentation will address guardianship as well as the following legal documents: Power of Attorney, Revocable Living Trust, Advanced Health Care Directive, and Living Will.
“Reminiscence Therapy and Life Story Writing” with Jillette Torre Leon-Guerrero On Sept. 28 and Oct. 1, local writer and genealogist Jillette Torre Leon-Guerrero will present “Reminiscence Therapy and Life Story Writing.” This presentation will teach family caregivers how to conduct reminiscence therapy with older adults and persons with dementia and provide an opportunity to participate in collaborative memoir writing to preserve cherished memories and promote positive mental health.
The training program and presentations are part of the ongoing online support groups for family caregivers of persons with dementia being conducted by the Guam/Micronesia Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program of the University of Guam School of Health.
CARES® Dementia Advanced Care™ – Module 1: Making a Connection with the Person
6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 7
10 a.m. – Noon, Saturday, Sept. 10
“Legal Issues for the Elderly” with Attorney Marcelene C. Santos
6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 14
10 a.m. – 12 Noon, Friday, Sept. 17
CARES® Dementia Advanced Care™ – Module 2: Eating Well
6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 2
10 a.m. – 12 Noon, Saturday, Sept. 24
“Reminiscence Therapy and Life Story Writing” with Jillette Torre Leon-Guerrero
6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 28
10 a.m. – 12 Noon, Saturday, Oct. 1
Participants can attend the Wednesday or Saturday sessions using the following Zoom links:
Ongoing dementia support groups The GWEP dementia support group sessions are held remotely on Zoom every Wednesday evening and Saturday morning year-round. The sessions are free of charge to partners, family members, and other caregivers of persons with dementia who have ties to Guam and the Micronesian region.
For more information, contact Iain Twaddle or Nikolas Gutierrez at (671) 735-2883 or gwep.tgss@triton.uog.edu or Rhoda Orallo at (671) 735-3277 or r.orallo@hspguam.com.
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This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of an award totaling $749,313 with zero percentage financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program Award #: 5 U1QHP33078‐04‐00
