Camarillo Health Care District is partnering with CalGrows to offer two courses for professional caregivers that aim to boost your skillset.

We are offering “Dealing with Dementia” and “Dementia Live,” two courses taken together, with offerings on Aug. 18, Sept. 19, Oct. 6, Nov. 2 and Dec. 5 in our Caregivers Center at 3639 Las Posas Road, in Camarillo.

Grow your career, develop skills and provide quality care by taking free courses and receiving free training and coaching, all while getting paid. CalGrows offers incentive payments to those who qualify. Eligible, paid direct-care workers can earn up to $6,000 by completing CalGrows’ training courses, including the two offered at the District.

Camarillo Health Care District’s “Dealing with Dementia” course is a four-hour workshop developed by the Rosalyn Carter Institute on Caregiving. It is paired with the comprehensive Dealing with Dementia Guide, a detailed workbook designed to help caregivers. Participation in the Dealing with Dementia workshop is proven to increase knowledge of dementia and confidence in the caregivers' ability to provide care.

In this course you will learn tips and strategies for caregivers including best practices for caring for those with dementia. You will also gain a better understanding of dementia and staging, utilizing strategies to effectively manage challenging dementia behaviors, improved communication skills, problem-solving strategies, and develop habits for stress management and their own self-care.

Topics include:

·        Emergency response (falls, incidents, fires)

·        Food, nutrition, and meal preparation

·        Physical safety and accident/injury prevention

·        Understanding cultural aspects of care

·        End-of-life care, grief

·        Managing stress

·        Respecting differences

·        Self-care

·        Strengths- and solutions-focused practices

·        Team building

·        Person-centered practices

·        Crisis prevention and intervention

·        Understanding aging

·        Understanding developmental disabilities

·        Understanding physical disabilities

·        Understanding dementia and Alzheimer’s

·        Behaving professionally and ethically

·        Communication skills

·        Legal and ethical issues

·        Principles of teaching and learning

·        Problem-solving

·        Role of the direct care worker

“Dementia Live” is a high-impact dementia simulation experience, developed by AGE-ucate Training Institute, that engages participants into what it's like to live with dementia, resulting in a deeper understanding of what it's like to live with cognitive impairment and sensory change. Class participants put on items that simulate the loss of different functions, giving them an immersive experience that elevates quality of care, compassion and empathy as well as a deeper understanding of the challenges that one faces when living with dementia.

After the experience, there is a small group post discussion about what the experience felt like, how the caregiver must be the change agent as the person with dementia cannot change, and what can be done to improve communication and care processes, empowering caregivers with practical tools and techniques that will ultimately make them better caregivers.

Topics include:

·        Understanding cultural aspects of care

·        Managing stress

·        Respecting differences

·        Strengths- and solutions-focused practices

·        Person-centered practices

·        Understanding aging

·        Understanding developmental disabilities

·        Understanding physical disabilities

·        Understanding dementia and Alzheimer’s

·        Behaving professionally and ethically

·        Communication skills

·        Role of the direct care worker

Take 15 hours of courses that are eligible for incentives by first creating an account and including proof of employment status. Then add CalGrows course completion information. Once the CalGrows team reviews and approves your claim, you are to receive your payment within 60 days.

·         To be eligible, you must be a paid direct-care worker.

·         You must be paid by an employer (including private individuals).*

·         You must have been employed as a direct-care worker for the last 60 days.

·         You must live in California.

* Unpaid family caregivers are not eligible for incentives but may take offered courses.

CalGrows is a California Department of Aging program designed to support caregivers of older adults and people with disabilities by improving their skills through in-person classes and online training courses, one-to-one career coaching, and up to $6,000 in rewards payments. For more information, visit https://calgrows.org.

To sign up for Camarillo Health Care District’s classes, first call and speak to Blair Barker, Care Services Director at our Caregivers Center, 805-388-1952, ext. 133.