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John V. Hobday | Media Department and |
NEW ORLEANS- March 31, 2014.
HealthCare Interactive is pleased that CARES® online training and Alzheimer’s Association essentiALZ® certification are recommended by AHCA/NCAL to help reduce the off-label use of antipsychotics. Through interactive features and real-life videos, long-term care professionals learn thoughtful and effective ways to make life less stressful for both the person living with dementia and the caregiver.
Memory loss diagnoses are increasing each year, and the demand for quality dementia care training is growing nationwide. The number of people with Alzheimer’s is projected to sharply increase from more than 5 million today to as many as 16 million by 2050, as the 78 million baby boomers mature and reach the age of highest risk. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 50 percent of residents in assisted living and nursing homes have some form of dementia or cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer’s disease. “Quality dementia care can only be delivered by well-trained professionals,” said Michelle Barclay, HealthCare Interactive Vice President. “HealthCare Interactive and AHCA/NCAL are committed to ensuring that residents with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias receive the highest quality care in assisted living and other long-term care settings across the country.”
HealthCare Interactive created the CARES online dementia care series of online training programs to help professional caregivers better understand how to better care for people living with dementia. The caregiving techniques and strategies presented in these courses are critical for successful care on a day-to-day basis and have been recognized as a way to reduce the need for antipsychotic medications in this population. “Our CARES online training programs contain helpful information that can be used with people at every stage of dementia,” said John Hobday, HealthCare Interactive CEO and Founder. “This is not a one-stage-fits-all disease, and approaches change depending upon the person living with the illness. What I like the best about this program is that it allows staff members to actually see the progression of the disease, from normal thinking to complete dependence. It is not common for staff members to understand this progression, and CARES ADL will make a strong contribution to their ability to apply appropriate care strategies depending upon the person’s current abilities. The recommendation by AHCA/NCAL that CARES can help reduce the off-label use of antipsychotics give facilities and organizations consistent, quality, and affordable staff training to meet the 2016 CMS goal of reducing antipsychotic medication use by 30%. We are proud to be part of the solution to this national issue.”
About CARES® Activities of Daily Living™
CARES Activities of Daily Living is a comprehensive 10-module (10-hour) program that covers all aspects of ADL training. Features such as “Using the CARES® Approach” and “Applying the CARES® Approach” show how person-centered care can make activities of daily living easier, meaningful, and more rewarding.
The 10 modules of Activities of Daily Living include:
About essentiALZ® and essentiALZ® Plus Certification
The Alzheimer’s Association® essentiALZ® certification program is a convenient way for individuals to be recognized for learning quality dementia care practices. Each essentiALZ certification level combines select HealthCare Interactive CARES online dementia care training with Alzheimer’s Association certification exams. EssentiALZ and essentiALZ Plus certification is ideal for family members as well as staff at nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospice, home health organizations, adult day programs, governmental and social service agencies, and police, fire, and other first responders.
About the Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer’s Association works on a global, national, and local level to enhance care and support for all those affected by Alzheimer’s and related dementias. As the largest, private non-profit funder of Alzheimer’s research, the Association is committed to accelerating progress of new treatments, preventions, and ultimately, a cure. Through their partnerships and funded projects, they have been part of every major research advancement over the past 30 years.
About HealthCare Interactive
HealthCare Interactive, Inc., is addressing the growing national crisis of memory loss, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease by developing the most innovative set of training products for family members and professional caregivers available in the marketplace today. HCI was founded in 1997 by John Hobday, an educational and instructional design expert, dementia researcher, and software developer. Mr. Hobday serves as HCI’s President and CEO and is currently completing his Ph.D. in Business. For additional information about HealthCare Interactive, visit www.hcinteractive.com or call (952) 928-7722.
About the AHCA/NCAL
About the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) represent more than 11,000 non-profit and proprietary skilled nursing centers, assisted living communities, sub-acute centers, and homes for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. By delivering solutions for quality care, AHCA/NCAL aims to improve the lives of the millions of frail, elderly, and individuals with disabilities who receive long-term or post-acute care in our member facilities each day. For more information, please visit www.ahca.org or www.ncal.org.
