UCLA Offers Online Training Videos for Caregivers of People With Dementia

The nation's population is rapidly aging and more people will develop Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia, with complications of memory loss, agitation, behavior changes, and other symptoms.

Dementia also has a profound effect on their family members, many of whom assume the role of caregiver and are frequently at a loss as to how best to care for their loved ones.

To address this, the UCLA Alzheimer's and Dementia Care Program has been producing a series of online videos aimed at helping caregivers understand how to care for persons with dementia. The videos, utilizing actors who portray both dementia patients and their caregivers (based on real patients), cover a wide range of issues and challenges facing caregivers.

The program has produced 18 videos.

The caregiver training videos are the following:
• Aggressive Language/Behavior
• Agitation and Anxiety
• Depression/Apathy
• Hallucinations
• Home Safety
• Refusal to Bathe
• Refusal to Take Medications
• Repetitive Behaviors
• Repetitive Phone Calls
• Repetitive Questions
• Sexually Inappropriate Behaviors
• Sleep Disturbances
• Sundowning
• Wandering

Videos covering common challenges are the following:
• Alcohol Abuse
• Driving
• Lack of Eating
• Paranoid Thoughts

The program also offers free educational webinars ranging from "What is dementia?" to protecting loved ones who have dementia from falling prey to scammers.

Source: University of California, Los Angeles, Health Sciences