AGE-u-cate

04/13/2026

Dementia care often feels like you’re always playing catch-up—waiting for a crisis before seeking help. But what if we shifted the narrative? When we lead with community education, we meet families early in their journey. It’s not just a "nice to have"—it’s a strategy that builds trust before a single decision needs to be made. Let’s stop reacting and start connecting.

04/10/2026

The Dementia Live® experience helps OTs "see" a resident's daily environment through their eyes. When we change the sensory input, we change the outcome of the session. Experience the difference.

04/09/2026

Care Tip: When you observe a "behavior," ask yourself: "What is this telling me about their environment?" OTs call this 'Adapting the Task.' We call it Empathy.

04/08/2026

It’s OT Month! Shout out to the OTs in senior living! You don’t just help residents with tasks; you help them reclaim independence. Today, we celebrate your impact. Tag an OT who makes a difference! 👏

04/07/2026

We are proud to announce the winners of our Challenge, celebrating program partners who are bringing empathy to life through experiential dementia education.

These individuals and communities exemplify what it means to move beyond awareness and into meaningful, lived understanding.

🏆 First-Time Facilitator Winner:
AmeriCARE San Francisco - Kevin Rasmussen, Owner

🏆 Voices of Change Winner:
The Aspenwood Company - Amber McDaniel, VP of Resident Experience

🏆 Tag Your Leader Winner:
Koru Health, LLC - Megan Davis, Director of Lifestyle

Each of these winners demonstrated exceptional commitment to sharing the impact of Dementia Live through authentic storytelling, leadership engagement, and program utilization.

🎁 Each winner will receive a Tech Pack and be featured as a 2026 Impact Leader across AGE-u-cate platforms.

We also extend our sincere appreciation to all participants in this campaign. Your voices, stories, and dedication continue to strengthen the movement toward compassionate, empathy-driven dementia care.

04/07/2026

We had a blast celebrating our founder, Pam Brandon's birthday late last week!

It was a great reminder of all we've accomplished thanks to her vision and all that's still ahead as we navigate the future.

04/06/2026

Understanding funding shouldn’t be a barrier to improving care.

In a recent podcast episode, Julie Boggess, Vice President of Workforce Development Initiatives at AGE-u-cate Training Institute, joins Matt Reiners to break down the CMP (Civil Money Penalty) program in practical, real-world terms.

The conversation covers:
• Where CMP funds come from
• How organizations can access and apply them
• What funding can — and cannot — support
• What to expect during implementation and reporting
• How education-focused initiatives can lead to measurable improvements in care

For organizations exploring how to strengthen staff education and enhance resident outcomes, understanding available resources is a critical first step.

Listen to the full episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cmp-funds-101-how-nursing-communities-can-access-dollars/id1610174177?i=1000756963593

Podcast Episode · Connecting the Dots: Senior Living Success with Matt Reiners · March 24 · 30m

04/03/2026

Approach matters.

For someone living with dementia, a caregiver entering their space can feel unexpected or even alarming.

Try this:
✔ Approach from the front
✔ Make eye contact at their level
✔ Use their name
✔ Allow time for recognition

These small adjustments help reduce startle responses and build trust.

Safety often begins before a single word is spoken.

04/02/2026

Understanding changes everything.

Last week, the Dementia Live® experience was shared with the team at Medication Therapy Solutions during their annual meeting — offering pharmacist consultants a firsthand look at the sensory and cognitive changes associated with dementia.

Experiential learning creates perspective that traditional education often cannot.

By stepping into the experience, participants gain a deeper understanding of:
• How cognitive change impacts daily tasks
• The role of environment and communication
• How care interactions are perceived — not just delivered

When healthcare professionals across disciplines build this level of insight, care becomes more aligned, responsive, and person-centered.

Education doesn’t just inform.
It transforms how care is experienced.

04/01/2026

Announcing our 2026 Dementia Live Impact Leaders

We are proud to recognize the program partners who participated in the Challenge.

These leaders are actively advancing empathy-driven dementia education through experiential learning in their communities:
UTEP Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program

Oak Park Township

Dose LTC Pharmacy

at Home (Woodstock, GA)

ameriCARE San Francisco

The Aspenwood Company

Vibrant Life Consulting

Koru Health

Each participant demonstrated a commitment to:
• Culture transformation
• Staff development
• Family engagement
• Raising awareness of cognitive change

We celebrate their leadership and continued dedication to compassionate care.

04/01/2026

When The Arbor Company partnered with Shore Medical Center, they used Dementia Live® as a bridge between organizations — creating shared understanding across care settings.

Through this collaboration, they:
• Trained nearly 100 healthcare professionals
• Increased empathy and understanding of dementia-related behaviors
• Strengthened relationships between senior living and hospital teams
• Elevated community awareness through education and outreach

When education becomes the common language, collaboration becomes more natural — and care becomes more consistent.

Read the full case study:
https://ageucate.com/case-studies/the-arbor-company-uses-dementia-live-to-create-partnership-with-shore-medical-center

04/01/2026

The Heart of Care: How Empathy Drives Better Clinical Outcomes

Discover how empathy-based training transforms dementia care by improving clinical outcomes, reducing resident agitation and decreasing PRN medication use.