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Hello, Master Trainers and Class Leaders!
I hope the official start to summer has been kind to you and yours, and that you're able to find some downtime to relax and rejuvenate in the coming weeks.
The summer slow-down has provided me the opportunity to meet with many of you one-on-one to discuss PTC challenges and successes. I appreciate the time you take to meet with me and share your experiences with PTC in your community.
A common theme in many of these meetings is recruitment and retention of caregiver participants. I'd like to share some of the feedback and suggestions I've recently received. I hope it will be helpful.
Here are some tips for promoting PTC in your community:
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Complete the Managing Stress Workshop in your community
- As a reminder, this is a 60-90 minute 'teaser' of the 6-week class series. The content comes directly from Class Two. The workshop must be delivered with a minimum of two class leaders.
- At the conclusion of the workshop, speak with those who attended about the day/time that works best for them if they were to attend the class series
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Search for support groups in your area and drop off information about PTC to the person(s) leading the support group
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Advertise in the following locations:
- Public libraries
- Community centers
- Skilled nursing facilities, memory units, rehabilitation clinics, active or assisted living communities, hospitals and clinics
- Local branches of national organizations and government-affiliated programs (Alzheimer's Association, AARP, AAAs)
- Churches, temples, mosques, and other religious/spiritual communities
- Ronald McDonald House
- Local media (community newspapers, magazines, TV stations)
As a reminder, you can find marketing materials in the Program Templates sub-folder of your Class Leader Materials. These materials include a flyer, brochure, press release, and class details for all six weeks. Always check with the business or organization before leaving marketing materials.
Here are some tips for retaining caregiver participants all six weeks:
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Emphasize (at enrollment and in Class One) that the curriculum builds on itself over six weeks and that attending all classes gives them their best chance for long-term success with the skills PTC teaches
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Encourage all caregiver participants to actively engage with their fellow classmates in the first two classes, helping forge trust and camaraderie among the caregiver participants
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Remind caregiver participants over the six weeks that these classes are one form of self-care and celebrate them taking a step to reprioritize their health and well-being
Again, I invite you to join me during my weekly office hour on Wednesdays from 10-11 a.m. CST (at this new link) for a 1:1 conversation with any questions or concerns you may have. Alternatively, you can email me (ptcaregivers@iastate.edu) to share feedback.
With gratitude,
Katie Anthony, Ph.D.
PTC HQ Program Coordinator
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