Teepa Snow
Today's Voice for Dementia
Teepa 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 dementia related challenges and change. Her company, Positive Approach, LLC was founded in 2005 and offers education to family and professional care partners all over the world. Her goal? Making a difference...one mind at a time.
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BEING VALUED
by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
How do we continue to feel that we have a place at the table, a voice that matters, something we offer, or a way to feel we still have talents or skills when dementia enters our lives?
Humans are born to do things and to gain skill at doing things. As infants and toddlers, we are in a constant state of exploration and experimentation. For children play is WORK! When they get it they feel the intrinsic value of achievement and the thrill of success and mastery. And those of us who support and care for them love to see and hear them do it. We CHEER them on and model the sounds, actions, and connections that guide them into the world of self-sufficiency and competence. We use phrases and comments such as,
"
Can you help mommy?
"
,
"
Can you give daddy the spoon?
"
,
"
Show me your toes!
"
. We applaud and celebrate efforts and attempts, not just the successes.
Read or download the full article
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b
y Leslie Finkley, PAC Mentor
It doesn't matter what type of senior living setting you work in there is
always work to be done. Staff are busy 24 hours a day supporting residents, preparing meals, cleaning, selling, repairing, greeting, serving; the list goes on and on. It's all in a day's (and evening and night shifts') work to keep a community running. And at the end of the day, we take pride in the difference we made, the challenges we overcame, and the moments of happiness we created for others. Work builds pride, confidence, self-worth, and purpose in ourselves.
So when do people living with dementia have opportunities to build their own sense of pride or accomplishment? Are residents in your building currently engaged in productive work activities or is the idea of work limited to reminiscing about what the person used to be able to do?
Read or download the full article
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ONE SMALL TOWN AT A TIME
Dementia Alliance International hosts a webinar to celebrate Kaima, New South Wales, Australia in becoming dementia friendly
by Amanda Bulgarelli, COO
I recently had the opportunity to join a webinar hosted by
Dementia Alliance International (DAI) that celebrated a small
group of Australians who are making a big difference in their community. Not all towns can claim something as bold as being dementia friendly; however, a small town in New South Wales has achieved this status in many areas. Residents living with dementia in the area have created a Dementia Alliance and a Dementia Advisory group that meets regularly and works extremely hard to lessen the stigma of dementia and to create a friendlier community.
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PAC TEAM SPOTLIGHT
The Bulgarelli Family!
Amanda Bulgarelli, COO
Dan Bulgarelli, CFO
and our newest PAC Team Member:
Benjamin Bulgarelli, born August 6, 2016!
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SURPRISING WAYS TO TUCK CREATIVITY INTO YOUR DAILY ROUTINE
by Deborah Shouse
Only I, super daughter Deborah, could entice
my mother to return to art projects she had loved before she was diagnosed with dementia. At least that's what I believed. But urging her to sit down and draw resulted in her simply folding her arms and glaring at me.
I wish I'd known then a better way to invite my mother into an art project. I wish I'd been able to celebrate her creativity without putting pressure on her. I wish I'd realized all the wonderful ways we could have connected.
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POSITIVE APPROACH
® TO CARE (PAC) RESOURCE CENTER TO HOST TEEPA
Mountain Home Care - Arden, NC
by Lee Mohler
Mountain Home Care expanded their Arden, N.C. home office to serve as the first Positive Approach® Dementia Resource Center. They are proud to host Teepa for a speaking engagement on November 14, 2016 and welcome you to register to attend. Admission is FREE, so don't miss this opportunity! (Look for registration info in the October Edition of the
Online Dementia Journal.)
Owners Lana and Jim Wilde, along with their sons Jeremy and Jason make up the Mountain Home Care leadership team. Lana's passion for helping people and advocating for clients was the driving force that led her to create Mountain Home Care. After sending two members of her team through a Trainer Certification and Consultant Certification, she worked with
Positive Approach® to expand their scope of service to include training workshops, educational resources, and products based on Teepa Snow's Positive Approach® to Care philosophy, becoming the first Positive Approach® Dementia Resource Center.
Since November 2015, Lana and her team have initiated a structured training program to educate all of their employees in Teepa's Positive Approach® philosophy and care partnering techniques. Additionally, they provide CE approved workshops to professionals in Western, N.C. as well as family workshops and consultations.
Organizations interested in becoming a Positive Approach® Dementia Resource Center should contact Lee Mohler.
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"How to Ensure Success When Using
Music in Caregiving"
Harnessing the power of music in dementia care
Wednesday, September 28
th,
7:00 pm EST
Join Mary Sue Wilkinson, Founder of Singing Heart to Heart
and author of
Presented in collaboration with
Mike Good and Together In This,
Helping Dementia Caregivers Succeed with
Streamlined Information and Training.
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An "Emerald" Music Moment
with Mary Sue Wilkinson
As the Hawaiian music is playing, Joan arrives in her wheelchair. She's in a good mood and immediately starts to roll the chair around to the music. Betsy and I have already been dancing on our feet, and we join Joan in a sort of conga line as she circles the tables. I hand out the chiffon scarves, do a two second demonstration of waving them to the music, and off we go.
Joan is now up on her feet, dancing and swirling the scarves in circles all around the room. Betsy gently drapes her scarf over Joan's head and they both laugh. Everyone is cheering us on. Joan say. "This is so much fun." I respond, "You're so much fun, Joan!" And we share a big hug.
Mary Sue Wilkinson is the founder of Singing Heart to Heart and the author of "Songs You Know By Heart: A Simple Guide for Using Music in Dementia Care", from which this Music Moment is an excerpt. The book includes contributions from Teepa Snow as well as Mary Sue's CD of 18 favorite sing along songs. Buy the book
HERE
.
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Positive Approach® to Care (PAC)
Resources
Did you know that Teepa has structured all programs, products, and training services into four levels of learning?
Why 4 levels?
Dementia is complex and impacts everyone differently. Those seeking to learn more have varying experiences and reasons for improving their understanding. They also have varying abilities, budgets, available time, and levels of commitment. With this in mind, it's important to Teepa that Positive Approach® provides a variety of options for individuals who want to learn and grow. Our hope is that the 4 levels of learning (Awareness, Knowledge, Skill, and Competence) will provide a roadmap of learning and help individuals make choices that fit their schedule, lifestyle, budget, and learning style.
What makes Positive Approach® training different than other dementia care education programs?
Many education models focus on the WHAT of dementia; WHAT it is, facts, figures, and the fight for a cure. Positive Approach® takes it a step further and teaches the HOW; HOW to live in relationship with someone living with dementia. Teepa's relational approach and hands-on skill techniques provide individuals with access to the interpersonal skills needed to improve quality of life for the person living with dementia and their care partner.
Dementia Awareness
This level of education provides foundational information related to dementia, including what it is, what it is not, and what happens when someone is living with it. Because dementia changes everything over
time, family members and care partners need to change as well in order to be helpful, supportive, and effective.
What can you do to improve your awareness?
$99 / 12 month subscription
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Enroll in our
online training course:
(3 hours): $100
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Purchase
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Dementia Knowledge
This level of education provides more in depth knowledge and exposure to a variety of skills, care partner task expectations, and environmental support modifications that will impact quality of life, safety, and future direction and guidance for all those in relationship to people living with dementia.
What can you do to improve your knowledge?
Dementia Skill
These in-depth experiential trainings include feedback loops for the purpose of creating new habits and practices in care partnering. The following training programs include a focus on communication, care provision behaviors, and environmental and programming support for in home, community, facility, or agency based models. They require an investment of time and a commitment to spreading person-centered awareness through the Positive Approach® to Care practices.
What can you do to improve your skill?
Dementia Competence
This is obtained through comprehensive training, consistent practice, effective coaching/feedback loops, and demonstration of skill. For organizations, a combination of individual certifications, community training, and online training yields the best results.
For individuals, earning an individual certification or pursuing higher levels of skill within the certification, combined with ongoing online and in person learning yields the best results.
Where you start is up to you.
If you need help getting started,
please
email
us for more information.
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Upcoming Events
September 21, 2016
NNFA/NALA Fall Convention
LaVista, NE
September 22, 2016
Educational Day
Mankato, MN
September 23, 2016
Educational Day
St. Louis, MO
September 26, 2016
Educational Day
Montevideo, MN
September 27, 2016
Educational Day - AM
Willmar, MN
September 27, 2016
Educational Day - PM
Willmar, MN
September 28, 2016
Educational Day
Willmar, MN
September 29, 2016
Educational Presentation
La Salle, IL
October 4, 2016
Educational Workshop
Seatac, WA
October 6, 2015
Educational Day
Erie, PA
October 7, 2016
Educational Day
Allentown, PA
October 11, 2016
Educational Presentation
Frederick, MD
October 21, 2016
Alzheimer Society of Washington, 30th Annual Fall Conference
Ferndale, WA
October 27, 2016
Educational Day
Martha's Vineyard, MA
October 31, 2016
Gerontology Conference,
4th Annual
Des Moines, IA
November 10, 2016
6th Annual Central Conference on Alzheimer's
Jackson, MS
November 17, 2016
Defining Hope Conference
Topeka, KS
November 23, 2016
Educational Event
Lincoln, UK
November 26, 2016
Educational Day
Bridgend, South Wales
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Book your event today for staff training, family nights, professional referral source events, or refresher workshops
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Introducing a new opportunity from Teepa and the
Pines of Sarasota
Education and Training Institute
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Lifetime Online Video
Viewing Is Now Available
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Upcoming PAC Certification Events
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PAC Training increases awareness, knowledge, and confidence among care staff and educates resident families.
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Positive Approach Partners
with
Levenson & Associates
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Subscribe to Teepa's
e-newsletter
subscription
Concise
Informative
Compelling
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Check out this great training combo!
Together, these titles are the perfect combination to license and incorporate into any internal training program for your staff.
(
All DVD content is intended for individual use only. If you are interested in multiple party viewings or licensing of this content for use in your training services, please contact our licensing team for further information).
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