Caring for a person with Alzheimer's or dementia calls for more than basic protection and physical care. Dementia With Dignity is a one hour training video, geared to both professional and family caregivers, which shows that quality of life can be greatly enhanced for persons with dementia when caregivers:
· understand the varied effects of dementia
· learn how to communicate and respond to the specialized needs of the person behind the illness
· Strengthen and encourage use of the remaining skills the person has in order to build self-esteem and stimulate intellectual abilities.

The video also looks at the importance of creating a safe environment for the person with dementia, and gives practical strategies for dealing with many of the effects of dementia, including combative or uninhibited behavior, sleeplessness, wandering, delusions and anxiety.

The video can be viewed in four parts with discussion breaks or as an hour long training session.

"To date, the best film my students and I have seen on dignified caregiving we can bring to dementia patients who display challenging behaviors. We all appreciated the vignettes which occurred at an actual nursing home....with real dementia patients, and real caregivers. Hands-on experience is best, but background knowledge and theory given in the classroom is profoundly enriched by this wonderful straight-forward film. A 'must-see' for both educators and caregivers."
Barbara Levitan, RN, Med
Director, Personal Support Worker Training Program
ParaMed Vocational School, Extendicare Canada.