November 26, 2024 • 28 mins
What happens when personal hardship turns into a powerful mission to change the world of caregiving? Our guest Pam Brandon, CEO and founder of Age-U-Cate Training Institute, shares her deeply personal journey inspired by her parents' battles with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. As a result, Pam has pioneered paths for caregiver education, addressing the urgent need for community collaboration and innovative support systems. We unravel the growing public health challenge of dementia and explore how her experience has positioned her to influence the future of dementia care education, cultivating empathy and skills among both current and budding healthcare professionals.
This episode illuminates the transformative power of empathy and cultural sensitivity in caregiving. Pam discusses the groundbreaking Dementia Live program, offering caregivers a visceral understanding of cognitive decline. By stepping into the world of those with dementia, caregivers gain profound insights, reshaping their approach to providing care and their ability to communicate effectively. We also provide a wealth of resources for caregivers, encouraging you to join us on "The Journey Out" as we strive to empower individuals and families through life's transitions.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello everyone and welcome to the Journey Out
podcast, where we were designedto be the helping hand for
everyday people who are on theirExodus journey.
I am one of your hosts, bree.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
And I'm Antoine.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
And, as you can see, we have a lovely guest in
between us here.
So we know that November is amonth filled with important
national holidays, in particular, national Alzheimer's Disease
Awareness Month.
Today, we wanted to invite avery special guest who
encountered the complexchallenges of caring for her
aging parents and is now the CEOand founder of Educate Training
(00:31):
Institute that empowersthousands of other caregivers,
providing impactful educationand compassionate support
throughout the vast North Texasregion.
So let's jump right in.
What is home care?
Speaker 3 (00:42):
How do I navigate health care?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
What do I do when I feel down and depressed?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
I'm stressed.
Am I enough?
What can I do?
What is this going to cost?
Speaker 1 (00:50):
So, ms Pam, ms Pam Brandon, owner of Educate
Training Institute, so tell us alittle bit about your start,
how you got started and wheredid Educate come from?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Yeah, first of all, thanks for having me.
It's great.
Pc Home Health are greatprogram partners of ours, so it
just makes it even more specialto be here.
You know, life takes you onjourneys you never thought.
And at 35 years old I foundmyself helping my parents.
(01:21):
My dad had been diagnosed withAlzheimer's and they were in
Chicago.
I lived here in Texas andstarted that journey with my two
young kids and watching thecomplexities of their struggles
but the whole family strugglethat takes place when
Alzheimer's enters into afamily's world.
(01:44):
We went on that path togetherwith my dad for about four years
Really difficult.
I mean it was a long time agoand you know that you should go
(02:10):
on.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Right, so as if that wasn't enough.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
then, just several months after my dad was
diagnosed, my mother wasdiagnosed with Parkinson's
disease.
Wow, and so we went on thatjourney together for over nine
years.
She moved here to Texas and didhave dementia with her
Parkinson's in the later years.
So again I had anotheropportunity so about 15 years of
(02:36):
being a caregiver and had noreal space you know, had no
medical background, had no realspace.
You know, had no medicalbackground.
But, as I tell people, I had anMBA and on-the-job training.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
There you go, there you go Always.
Does that sound right?
That sounds right, always yes.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
And you know you learn along the way, making
mistakes and picking up thepieces and moving on, and it was
a blessing.
I would never trade those years.
It was a blessing and a lifeexperience for me and my
children and my family, and soafter that I went on to do
(03:16):
caregiver education for familiesall through North Texas for
many years and then and thenstarted creating Dementia Live
in about 2012 and we 12, 13.
We launched in 2015 and andhere we go, here we go that is
(03:37):
so cool.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
That is so cool and I love how it's kind of always
like that story right, right,where you know you've been just
thrust into the position andfrom there you kind of like I
don't want anybody else to gothrough this, that I went
through alone, right, and so Ijust love how it always comes
from that just familialunderstanding of what the next
caregiver is going through, fromthe heart.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
From the heart, yeah, from growing pains.
Right, you've been in thisposition.
I have a loved one that's beenin this position.
Right, I know how it was for me.
How can I help others?
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
Right, right.
And so with Educate TrainingInstitute, what is you all's
mission and goal as you bringthis into the community?
Speaker 3 (04:19):
So you know we are on 10 years of Dementia Lives
anniversary next year and ourmission from the very beginning
with Educate was to ignitechange, to bring innovative
caregiver education to providers.
You know, as any business youknow sees those changes over the
(04:44):
years.
As any business sees thosechanges.
Over the years we built a modelwhere our program partners are
just like you home, health andsenior living and
community-based organizationsand universities and really
anybody that needs this kind oftraining.
So never would I have thoughtthat almost 10 years later we're
(05:04):
looking at.
Two and a half million peoplehave gone through this.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Wow, that is amazing.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
That is so awesome it just is kind of a testament of
how much it's needed.
Yes, the growth of dementia,right, and as you both know what
we're looking at in the next 10, 20, 30 years is really
astounding.
We should all be stakeholdersright, yes, yes, yes and really
(05:33):
getting in this game of how arewe going to solve some of the
challenges.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Right, so you said it .
We know dementia is rapidlyincreasing with public health
concerns, so what are some ofthe issues that that we should
address as stakeholders indementia?
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Yeah, there's some big challenges and you know the
numbers speak for themselves.
I mean, we're looking atnumbers that globally and here
in the US triple Right.
We have not only what about 7million caregivers here in the
US, but 11 million people caringfor?
Speaker 1 (06:12):
them.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
So I think you know the public health concern is,
you know, just looking at thosenumbers and then looking at how
do we address this at thefederal, the state, the local
level.
Right, you know, and we're alldoing, you know, we're all doing
what we can, who are already inthis space, but how can we move
(06:36):
the needle for?
Speaker 1 (06:36):
it.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Right.
So you know, looking at, forinstance, dementia-friendly
initiatives, I mean they'regreat going, great guns, but
oftentimes siloed.
Right, right so we need to becollaborating, stakeholders need
to be working together toreally push that, because
(06:58):
everything really starts at thecommunity level.
It does, it does, butopportunity for all of us to see
how we can do a better job onreally looking at not only
(07:18):
upping the game significantlyfor our professionals, but
preparing our students who aregoing into health care.
And definitely you know myheart has always been with the
families.
Right 70% of caregivers arefamily members.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
And they need education.
They need resources, exactlythey need support.
They often, as you know, youspeak to them every day in your
business.
Yes, yes, and I used to runsupport groups.
Yeah, many, many of them infaith business.
Yes, yes, and I used to runsupport groups, many, many of
them in faith communities, and Iwould always remind people I
very rarely saw a caregiverattend a support group that was
(08:03):
planning.
They were already in the motion.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
They were in the.
They were thrown into the fire.
That's right.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
They were just inches away from what we call
caregiver burnout.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
And so we want to try to intervene earlier to try to
avoid this, so that they canempower themselves.
You know, go on that journeywith certainly less stress than
I had hopefully and what you seeso many others.
(08:37):
But that intervention andearlier intervention is really
important, right, but that turnsinto savings in health care
dollars.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
There you go, so I agree.
So, since you talked about the,I guess, lack of training or in
the families, or the lack ofresources and also for the
health care professionals, tokind of up the bar, what is the
critical gaps in dementiatraining?
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Yeah, we have quite a few.
One is, I think, culturallysensitive training.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
One is, I think, culturally sensitive training.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
We have to be, you know first, we have to realize
that these caregivers that arebeing paid, if we don't give
them the foundational knowledgeright from day one, we are doing
a huge disservice to them, totheir families, to the person
they're caring for, and we arerisking them leaving that job
and not only leaving, you know,your company but, leaving the
(09:44):
profession and we need thesepeople in these jobs.
Exactly, do you not agree thatmost of these people would never
have applied for these jobs ifthey didn't have a heart?
Exactly, Wow.
They have a heart to serve.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
To serve?
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
But, like all of us, for any job we have, we have to
have the tools.
Yeah, you know, of any job, youhave to give them the tools
from day one.
Yes, and I think we're lackingin that.
We're lacking in too manydementia trainings being I use
(10:27):
this term and I think you'llunderstand, you know, check it
off the box.
Yes, right, yes, I watched thisvideo and boom, you're ready to
go To go to the next Right.
Yeah, and you know it takes alot more than that it does.
It does so, you know, justreally tightening up.
You know I'd love to see ourregulations be, you know,
(10:48):
tightened up across the board,right, our regulations be, you
know, tightened up across theboard, right, but that every
stakeholder really looks at hey,how am I going to benefit?
in the people I serve byproperly training my team that
goes out to help others, andpart of that cultural
(11:09):
sensitivity is that we live in adiverse world, right?
Not all cultures treat thecaregiving role the same.
Yes, oh yeah, and how they lookat I don't want to say treating
, but caring for their elders,right, you know, in different
(11:30):
settings.
We need to prepare ourcaregivers for that.
The other is, I think, the youknow, the huge need for just
overall awareness.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Just, community-wide awareness is needed.
The need for families to beeducated with the value that
they bring to the table as partof the care team.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
So you said something .
I like how you say stakeholdersright.
So you said culturally rightCaregivers don't culturally,
don't do the same thing in theirfamilies.
So how do you think we can getpast that?
I know it's not aone-size-fits-all, but how do
(12:22):
you think we can, I guess,penetrate that to help these
families get on the same page asfar as training and stuff like
that?
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Yeah, that's a good question, I mean, and I don't
think there's easy answers to it.
I think, obviously, beingsomebody who believes heavily in
experiential and learning ishaving those conversations,
having role playing, sittingdown with the caregivers after
they've had some basic qualityfoundational training, you move
(12:57):
to.
Let's talk about this situationthat you might encounter when
you go into a home.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
You may have this family situation.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Let's talk about how you might respond if daughter or
spouse or other family memberyou know opposes something you
do, or questions or simplydoesn't understand.
I think that role play is againthey're not going to forget
that because you're engagingthem.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
And you could, you know, simply put up a video.
But how much do people we onlyretain?
We?
Speaker 1 (13:37):
Yes, or is long term solution?
I think I think I'm talking totwo people that already know.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
the answer to that you know it is if you take that
route, you pretty much know whatthe outcome is going to be.
(14:02):
Right.
If you invest up front, youknow what that outcome is going
to be.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
So just hearing just your passion for, like you said,
the family caregivers, but evenfor businesses who are sending
people out to these families whoare needing this assistance, I
can definitely hear the heartbehind kind of where Dementia
Live just came from.
So tell me, dementia Live, it'san innovative approach to
dementia training, so let's talkabout that a little more.
(14:28):
What does that look like?
What does that process looklike?
Speaker 3 (14:31):
look like.
Yeah, so Dementia Live isimmersive, it's hands-on, it's
experiential, it's all thosethings.
You're putting a participantthrough, an experience of what
it might be like to live withcognitive decline.
Right, and you've both gonethrough it, you put your
caregivers through it and it's awhole different ballgame if you
(14:56):
want to say, when you sit andtry to talk to somebody about
what dementia looks like, versuslet's walk through it.
Let's step into their world fora few moments.
So the concept behind andfoundation of Dementia Live is
that immersive experience wheresomebody is really touched.
(15:21):
They have that really strongaha moment.
And I know your caregivers havehad a lot of response on that
and they all do, and you gothrough it and they say, gosh, I
had no idea that it was thisdifficult.
Well, what happens to us?
When we step in someone's shoes, we build empathy.
(15:45):
We build a much deeperunderstanding of what that
person is going through on anhour-to-hour, day-to-day basis,
and then it's, you know.
The other key piece of DementiaLive is that empowerment
session where we take thosefeelings that they have and you
(16:06):
know, merge them with thebehaviors that that person had
(16:31):
in the room that you're able totalk to them, and then you're
Right.
So let's just start at thebasics and cover those core
communication skills you know,that are so important.
Slowing down eye contact thosethings will immediately prepare
a caregiver to go out and dotheir job.
You know they can build fromthere, but if they skip those
(16:53):
basics they're 10 steps behind.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Right, yes, I went through the training myself,
mm-hmm.
And going through that training?
Yes, stepping into someone'sworld with dementia, it was
different.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
And eye-opening.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Eye-opening.
You have to do it please, butthe earphones that was placed on
with the heads right, I didn'tknow it was that much for lack
of better words.
Things going on yeah, likebackground background noise,
(17:28):
what my loved one or your lovedone could possibly be going
through to get them distractedfrom even listening to you and
helping them put on theirclothes or getting into the
shower.
So it's, I mean, it was veryeye opening.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Yeah, and it's the same for our caregivers too.
When we take them through thatprocess, a lot of them like oh
yeah, I've dealt withAlzheimer's dementia patients
before.
Yeah, I've been doing this 18years, this is good.
And then they actually gothrough the process and we talk
to them in those empowermentsessions and they're like okay,
(18:02):
yeah, I thought I knew.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
I thought I knew about Alzheimer's dementia but
it's completely different.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
I mean just even the way the dementia lab works.
So it, like you said, it hasthe headphones, we have gloves,
we also have like the littleshades that go over.
The kind of.
That kind of emulates whatpeople with Alzheimer's dementia
, their vision, how that changes, and so it really is an
immersive experience from headto toe in distance has to be
(18:31):
done, it's just from head to toe.
So did you foresee this whenyou created this program?
Is this what you foresaw whenyou said, hey, I'm creating
Dementia Live?
Speaker 3 (18:42):
Well, to be fair, I mean, some of this was done in
bits and pieces years ago innursing schools, you know they
used to put Vaseline on glassesand whatnot.
So you know the wholesimulation experience was not
totally new.
My vision with Dementia Livewas putting it into a program
(19:04):
that was effective forbusinesses like you, the
stakeholders, to bring this onand then take it out.
You know, take it out.
As you know, our mission is wereally believe everyone is being
touched by dementia today atsome level.
(19:25):
So did I envision where we aretoday and even where we are
seeing where we're going to go?
No, but on the other hand, fromday one we knew we were doing
something right so you know wehad feedback and, of course, you
know we tested this for a verylong time, but we knew from the
(19:50):
get-go that people wereresponding to this with this is
great training, and that's whatmy goal was is what is going to
move the needle, what is reallygoing to help someone?
Because if you don't haveempathy and you don't have
compassion and you don't havebasic skills, you can't do this
(20:16):
job.
Whether you are a professionalor a family, you've got to have
that and the other is I've justalways been a proponent of
resources and that's where ourempowerment tools come in.
Is resources, education.
Where can they go for supportgroups?
Where can they go to get morehelp?
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Keep feeding them.
So that's part of what we liketo.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
We know is happening as our stakeholders are forming
relationships with those peoplewho go through in that
empowerment session and it'sjust super amazing to see and I
just thank you for bringing thisto the forefront because, again
, you, you, it's nothing likewalking in someone else's shoes
and actually seeing what they gothrough on a day-to-day basis
(21:04):
Uh, and for you to pinpoint thatand really bring it to life and
now millions of others havebeen able to experience this and
then, on top of that, providebetter care to that loved one or
that person that's dealing withAlzheimer's and dementia.
It's just so pivotal and so.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
So in case if, like you said, being prepared right
or not knowing, but just tryingto prepare yourself for the
future, if I would have wentthrough this training even once
we got the diagnosis for mygrandmother, it would have been
different from the get-go yeahit would have been straight
(21:40):
different from the get-go.
So I think people being awareof this is now.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Now, it's awesome, yeah, it's just, it's just, it's
just monumental.
So I thank you so much for one,starting and just doing it, but
also two for coming on here andtalking a little bit more about
it and just helping us spreadthe word about all the amazing
things that you guys do atEducate, because it's just
amazing and it doesn't stopthere.
Y'all have other programs andthings like that too, so tell me
(22:06):
a little bit about that.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Yeah, so Compassionate Touch is our other
core program, and have you donethe training on that yet?
Speaker 2 (22:15):
I haven't.
I don't even think we've got todo it Because listen.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Dementia Live is running our lives.
Okay, we make sure we get thattaken care of.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
Yep and we always tell program partners start with
Dementia Live, and that's youknow don't go on to the next one
.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
We're gonna get to it .
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Compassionate touch.
The story of that is quiteremarkable as well.
I met the creator ofcompassionate touch 10 plus
(22:59):
years ago and she had createdthis skilled touch program that
she was teaching to massagetherapists.
And I saw it and, of course,already in the dementia world
and saw that it was simpleskilled touch techniques that
required no, it wasn't anylicensing required.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
So you know it was no massage.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
So I connected with her.
Her name was Ann Catlin, anoccupational therapist, and so
we brought on CompassionateTouch right after Dementia Live
as another solution toperson-centered care techniques
that any caregiver can learn.
(23:34):
Any family member can learn tohelp their loved one calm,
connect.
You know, sleep Just really isa beautiful program.
I'll be anxious for you tostart it and get some feedback.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Yeah, that's important because a lot of
people the Alzheimer's sundowning.
There are some behavioralaspects to it as well.
Sometimes we have someoutbursts, sometimes we're just
mellow or you know, it justdepends and it's different for
everybody.
So being able to, as a lovedone, combat those feelings and
those emotions when they come,it's just super important.
(24:10):
You're empowered as a caregiverwhen you do things like that.
So I love that.
Now, listen, you done fueled myfire for compassion.
We're going to hop on that assoon as this is over, but I just
love that.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
I love all of that, and so tell me what other things
you have going on.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Well, those are our two cores that are keeping us
busy too.
We also add in some one hourcourses called Reveal Aging.
That is added to your programyou know of.
Dementia Live and CompassionateTouch, just a reinforcement to
caregivers.
You know of Dementia Live andCompassionate Touch.
Just a reinforcement tocaregivers.
You know micro-learning content.
They can take the courses ontheir phone.
(24:45):
You know, in 10-minute blocks.
As we all know, the world goesfast these days and so we know
caregivers are busy, but theymay have 10 minutes to stop.
So those courses really supportthe two core courses.
And then we have the artsprogram.
And so you know we are lookingforward next year to celebrating
(25:11):
the 10 years of Dementia Livewith just some cool things.
We're going to be bringing outAwesome and new packages we're
going to add, but we've seensuch phenomenal growth with
Dementia Live that that's goingto continue for sure.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
Well, please, let the people know like Compassionate
Touch those 10-minute trainings,let them know where they can
access all of that and wherethey can find out more about
Educate Dementia Live, yeah, letthem know where they can access
all of that and where they canfind out more about Educate
Dementia Live.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
Yeah, so we have a strange name, but it'll.
It'll pop up right away onGoogle, so just educate dot com.
It's A-G-E-U-C-A-T-E dot comand and my email is Pam at
Educate, and you can alwaysreach out directly to me with
questions or, you know, alwayshappy to engage.
(26:03):
I'm not one of those that staysaway from doing that.
So I'm very involved in DementiaFriendly Fort Worth as well and
have talked to lots and lots ofdementia friendlyfriendly
initiatives across the countrywho are trying to get off the
ground, and I'm always reallyhappy to share the great success
(26:25):
we've had in Fort Worth andkind of mentor others.
So that's another reason.
If you are part of adementia-friendly initiative and
saying how do I start, when doI get going?
Call me.
I'd love to talk to you andit's just part of my love of
this whole space and my beliefthat we all can do so much more
(26:50):
and we will.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Yes, yes, awesome, awesome.
Well, as you can see, you haveresources, educations, at your
fingertips, so you haveeverything that you need to kind
of take the next step, learnand get the training needed to
better serve your community, butalso your loved ones that are
going through Alzheimer's anddementia.
So, ms Pam, I thank you forbeing with us today.
I thank you for all the justinvaluable information that you
(27:13):
share with us, and so we'll makesure that they have all of the
information that you left todayso they can gather all of what
we talked about today in our bio.
So, taking you over to ourpodcast website, you'll be able
to download everything wediscussed today, transcribed
just for you under thetranscript tab.
Now, if you've enjoyed whatyou've heard today and would
like to hear more, pleasesubscribe and follow us on
(27:33):
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Your contribution is more thanappreciated and we thank you.
And with that, that is a wrapon today's episode of the
Journey Out.
We pray that the thingsdiscussed today have been a
(27:54):
helping hand for you and theones you hold close, positively
bringing you out of one seasonto the next, starting your
Exodus journey.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
And hopefully, the things that you learned gave you
the knowledge to be a resourceto yourself, your family and
your community.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Thank you, guys.
Have a good one in the video.
Hello everyone and welcome to the Journey Out
podcast, where we were designedto be the helping hand for
everyday people who are on theirExodus journey.
I am one of your hosts, bree.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
And I'm Antoine.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
And, as you can see, we have a lovely guest in
between us here.
So we know that November is amonth filled with important
national holidays, in particular, national Alzheimer's Disease
Awareness Month.
Today, we wanted to invite avery special guest who
encountered the complexchallenges of caring for her
aging parents and is now the CEOand founder of Educate Training
(00:31):
Institute that empowersthousands of other caregivers,
providing impactful educationand compassionate support
throughout the vast North Texasregion.
So let's jump right in.
What is home care?
Speaker 3 (00:42):
How do I navigate health care?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
What do I do when I feel down and depressed?
Speaker 3 (00:46):
I'm stressed.
Am I enough?
What can I do?
What is this going to cost?
Speaker 1 (00:50):
So, ms Pam, ms Pam Brandon, owner of Educate
Training Institute, so tell us alittle bit about your start,
how you got started and wheredid Educate come from?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Yeah, first of all, thanks for having me.
It's great.
Pc Home Health are greatprogram partners of ours, so it
just makes it even more specialto be here.
You know, life takes you onjourneys you never thought.
And at 35 years old I foundmyself helping my parents.
(01:21):
My dad had been diagnosed withAlzheimer's and they were in
Chicago.
I lived here in Texas andstarted that journey with my two
young kids and watching thecomplexities of their struggles
but the whole family strugglethat takes place when
Alzheimer's enters into afamily's world.
(01:44):
We went on that path togetherwith my dad for about four years
Really difficult.
I mean it was a long time agoand you know that you should go
(02:10):
on.
Speaker 1 (02:10):
Right, so as if that wasn't enough.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
then, just several months after my dad was
diagnosed, my mother wasdiagnosed with Parkinson's
disease.
Wow, and so we went on thatjourney together for over nine
years.
She moved here to Texas and didhave dementia with her
Parkinson's in the later years.
So again I had anotheropportunity so about 15 years of
(02:36):
being a caregiver and had noreal space you know, had no
medical background, had no realspace.
You know, had no medicalbackground.
But, as I tell people, I had anMBA and on-the-job training.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
There you go, there you go Always.
Does that sound right?
That sounds right, always yes.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
And you know you learn along the way, making
mistakes and picking up thepieces and moving on, and it was
a blessing.
I would never trade those years.
It was a blessing and a lifeexperience for me and my
children and my family, and soafter that I went on to do
(03:16):
caregiver education for familiesall through North Texas for
many years and then and thenstarted creating Dementia Live
in about 2012 and we 12, 13.
We launched in 2015 and andhere we go, here we go that is
(03:37):
so cool.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
That is so cool and I love how it's kind of always
like that story right, right,where you know you've been just
thrust into the position andfrom there you kind of like I
don't want anybody else to gothrough this, that I went
through alone, right, and so Ijust love how it always comes
from that just familialunderstanding of what the next
caregiver is going through, fromthe heart.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
From the heart, yeah, from growing pains.
Right, you've been in thisposition.
I have a loved one that's beenin this position.
Right, I know how it was for me.
How can I help others?
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Absolutely.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
Right, right.
And so with Educate TrainingInstitute, what is you all's
mission and goal as you bringthis into the community?
Speaker 3 (04:19):
So you know we are on 10 years of Dementia Lives
anniversary next year and ourmission from the very beginning
with Educate was to ignitechange, to bring innovative
caregiver education to providers.
You know, as any business youknow sees those changes over the
(04:44):
years.
As any business sees thosechanges.
Over the years we built a modelwhere our program partners are
just like you home, health andsenior living and
community-based organizationsand universities and really
anybody that needs this kind oftraining.
So never would I have thoughtthat almost 10 years later we're
(05:04):
looking at.
Two and a half million peoplehave gone through this.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Wow, that is amazing.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
That is so awesome it just is kind of a testament of
how much it's needed.
Yes, the growth of dementia,right, and as you both know what
we're looking at in the next 10, 20, 30 years is really
astounding.
We should all be stakeholdersright, yes, yes, yes and really
(05:33):
getting in this game of how arewe going to solve some of the
challenges.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Right, so you said it .
We know dementia is rapidlyincreasing with public health
concerns, so what are some ofthe issues that that we should
address as stakeholders indementia?
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Yeah, there's some big challenges and you know the
numbers speak for themselves.
I mean, we're looking atnumbers that globally and here
in the US triple Right.
We have not only what about 7million caregivers here in the
US, but 11 million people caringfor?
Speaker 1 (06:12):
them.
Speaker 3 (06:13):
So I think you know the public health concern is,
you know, just looking at thosenumbers and then looking at how
do we address this at thefederal, the state, the local
level.
Right, you know, and we're alldoing, you know, we're all doing
what we can, who are already inthis space, but how can we move
(06:36):
the needle for?
Speaker 1 (06:36):
it.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Right.
So you know, looking at, forinstance, dementia-friendly
initiatives, I mean they'regreat going, great guns, but
oftentimes siloed.
Right, right so we need to becollaborating, stakeholders need
to be working together toreally push that, because
(06:58):
everything really starts at thecommunity level.
It does, it does, butopportunity for all of us to see
how we can do a better job onreally looking at not only
(07:18):
upping the game significantlyfor our professionals, but
preparing our students who aregoing into health care.
And definitely you know myheart has always been with the
families.
Right 70% of caregivers arefamily members.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
And they need education.
They need resources, exactlythey need support.
They often, as you know, youspeak to them every day in your
business.
Yes, yes, and I used to runsupport groups.
Yeah, many, many of them infaith business.
Yes, yes, and I used to runsupport groups, many, many of
them in faith communities, and Iwould always remind people I
very rarely saw a caregiverattend a support group that was
(08:03):
planning.
They were already in the motion.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
They were in the.
They were thrown into the fire.
That's right.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
They were just inches away from what we call
caregiver burnout.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Yes, yes, yes.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
And so we want to try to intervene earlier to try to
avoid this, so that they canempower themselves.
You know, go on that journeywith certainly less stress than
I had hopefully and what you seeso many others.
(08:37):
But that intervention andearlier intervention is really
important, right, but that turnsinto savings in health care
dollars.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
There you go, so I agree.
So, since you talked about the,I guess, lack of training or in
the families, or the lack ofresources and also for the
health care professionals, tokind of up the bar, what is the
critical gaps in dementiatraining?
Speaker 3 (09:05):
Yeah, we have quite a few.
One is, I think, culturallysensitive training.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
One is, I think, culturally sensitive training.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
We have to be, you know first, we have to realize
that these caregivers that arebeing paid, if we don't give
them the foundational knowledgeright from day one, we are doing
a huge disservice to them, totheir families, to the person
they're caring for, and we arerisking them leaving that job
and not only leaving, you know,your company but, leaving the
(09:44):
profession and we need thesepeople in these jobs.
Exactly, do you not agree thatmost of these people would never
have applied for these jobs ifthey didn't have a heart?
Exactly, Wow.
They have a heart to serve.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
To serve?
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
But, like all of us, for any job we have, we have to
have the tools.
Yeah, you know, of any job, youhave to give them the tools
from day one.
Yes, and I think we're lackingin that.
We're lacking in too manydementia trainings being I use
(10:27):
this term and I think you'llunderstand, you know, check it
off the box.
Yes, right, yes, I watched thisvideo and boom, you're ready to
go To go to the next Right.
Yeah, and you know it takes alot more than that it does.
It does so, you know, justreally tightening up.
You know I'd love to see ourregulations be, you know,
(10:48):
tightened up across the board,right, our regulations be, you
know, tightened up across theboard, right, but that every
stakeholder really looks at hey,how am I going to benefit?
in the people I serve byproperly training my team that
goes out to help others, andpart of that cultural
(11:09):
sensitivity is that we live in adiverse world, right?
Not all cultures treat thecaregiving role the same.
Yes, oh yeah, and how they lookat I don't want to say treating
, but caring for their elders,right, you know, in different
(11:30):
settings.
We need to prepare ourcaregivers for that.
The other is, I think, the youknow, the huge need for just
overall awareness.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
Just, community-wide awareness is needed.
The need for families to beeducated with the value that
they bring to the table as partof the care team.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
So you said something .
I like how you say stakeholdersright.
So you said culturally rightCaregivers don't culturally,
don't do the same thing in theirfamilies.
So how do you think we can getpast that?
I know it's not aone-size-fits-all, but how do
(12:22):
you think we can, I guess,penetrate that to help these
families get on the same page asfar as training and stuff like
that?
Speaker 3 (12:31):
Yeah, that's a good question, I mean, and I don't
think there's easy answers to it.
I think, obviously, beingsomebody who believes heavily in
experiential and learning ishaving those conversations,
having role playing, sittingdown with the caregivers after
they've had some basic qualityfoundational training, you move
(12:57):
to.
Let's talk about this situationthat you might encounter when
you go into a home.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
You may have this family situation.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Let's talk about how you might respond if daughter or
spouse or other family memberyou know opposes something you
do, or questions or simplydoesn't understand.
I think that role play is againthey're not going to forget
that because you're engagingthem.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
And you could, you know, simply put up a video.
But how much do people we onlyretain?
We?
Speaker 1 (13:37):
Yes, or is long term solution?
I think I think I'm talking totwo people that already know.
Speaker 3 (13:41):
the answer to that you know it is if you take that
route, you pretty much know whatthe outcome is going to be.
(14:02):
Right.
If you invest up front, youknow what that outcome is going
to be.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
So just hearing just your passion for, like you said,
the family caregivers, but evenfor businesses who are sending
people out to these families whoare needing this assistance, I
can definitely hear the heartbehind kind of where Dementia
Live just came from.
So tell me, dementia Live, it'san innovative approach to
dementia training, so let's talkabout that a little more.
(14:28):
What does that look like?
What does that process looklike?
Speaker 3 (14:31):
look like.
Yeah, so Dementia Live isimmersive, it's hands-on, it's
experiential, it's all thosethings.
You're putting a participantthrough, an experience of what
it might be like to live withcognitive decline.
Right, and you've both gonethrough it, you put your
caregivers through it and it's awhole different ballgame if you
(14:56):
want to say, when you sit andtry to talk to somebody about
what dementia looks like, versuslet's walk through it.
Let's step into their world fora few moments.
So the concept behind andfoundation of Dementia Live is
that immersive experience wheresomebody is really touched.
(15:21):
They have that really strongaha moment.
And I know your caregivers havehad a lot of response on that
and they all do, and you gothrough it and they say, gosh, I
had no idea that it was thisdifficult.
Well, what happens to us?
When we step in someone's shoes, we build empathy.
(15:45):
We build a much deeperunderstanding of what that
person is going through on anhour-to-hour, day-to-day basis,
and then it's, you know.
The other key piece of DementiaLive is that empowerment
session where we take thosefeelings that they have and you
(16:06):
know, merge them with thebehaviors that that person had
(16:31):
in the room that you're able totalk to them, and then you're
Right.
So let's just start at thebasics and cover those core
communication skills you know,that are so important.
Slowing down eye contact thosethings will immediately prepare
a caregiver to go out and dotheir job.
You know they can build fromthere, but if they skip those
(16:53):
basics they're 10 steps behind.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Right, yes, I went through the training myself,
mm-hmm.
And going through that training?
Yes, stepping into someone'sworld with dementia, it was
different.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
And eye-opening.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
Eye-opening.
You have to do it please, butthe earphones that was placed on
with the heads right, I didn'tknow it was that much for lack
of better words.
Things going on yeah, likebackground background noise,
(17:28):
what my loved one or your lovedone could possibly be going
through to get them distractedfrom even listening to you and
helping them put on theirclothes or getting into the
shower.
So it's, I mean, it was veryeye opening.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Yeah, and it's the same for our caregivers too.
When we take them through thatprocess, a lot of them like oh
yeah, I've dealt withAlzheimer's dementia patients
before.
Yeah, I've been doing this 18years, this is good.
And then they actually gothrough the process and we talk
to them in those empowermentsessions and they're like okay,
(18:02):
yeah, I thought I knew.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
I thought I knew about Alzheimer's dementia but
it's completely different.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
I mean just even the way the dementia lab works.
So it, like you said, it hasthe headphones, we have gloves,
we also have like the littleshades that go over.
The kind of.
That kind of emulates whatpeople with Alzheimer's dementia
, their vision, how that changes, and so it really is an
immersive experience from headto toe in distance has to be
(18:31):
done, it's just from head to toe.
So did you foresee this whenyou created this program?
Is this what you foresaw whenyou said, hey, I'm creating
Dementia Live?
Speaker 3 (18:42):
Well, to be fair, I mean, some of this was done in
bits and pieces years ago innursing schools, you know they
used to put Vaseline on glassesand whatnot.
So you know the wholesimulation experience was not
totally new.
My vision with Dementia Livewas putting it into a program
(19:04):
that was effective forbusinesses like you, the
stakeholders, to bring this onand then take it out.
You know, take it out.
As you know, our mission is wereally believe everyone is being
touched by dementia today atsome level.
(19:25):
So did I envision where we aretoday and even where we are
seeing where we're going to go?
No, but on the other hand, fromday one we knew we were doing
something right so you know wehad feedback and, of course, you
know we tested this for a verylong time, but we knew from the
(19:50):
get-go that people wereresponding to this with this is
great training, and that's whatmy goal was is what is going to
move the needle, what is reallygoing to help someone?
Because if you don't haveempathy and you don't have
compassion and you don't havebasic skills, you can't do this
(20:16):
job.
Whether you are a professionalor a family, you've got to have
that and the other is I've justalways been a proponent of
resources and that's where ourempowerment tools come in.
Is resources, education.
Where can they go for supportgroups?
Where can they go to get morehelp?
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
Keep feeding them.
So that's part of what we liketo.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
We know is happening as our stakeholders are forming
relationships with those peoplewho go through in that
empowerment session and it'sjust super amazing to see and I
just thank you for bringing thisto the forefront because, again
, you, you, it's nothing likewalking in someone else's shoes
and actually seeing what they gothrough on a day-to-day basis
(21:04):
Uh, and for you to pinpoint thatand really bring it to life and
now millions of others havebeen able to experience this and
then, on top of that, providebetter care to that loved one or
that person that's dealing withAlzheimer's and dementia.
It's just so pivotal and so.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
So in case if, like you said, being prepared right
or not knowing, but just tryingto prepare yourself for the
future, if I would have wentthrough this training even once
we got the diagnosis for mygrandmother, it would have been
different from the get-go yeahit would have been straight
(21:40):
different from the get-go.
So I think people being awareof this is now.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
Now, it's awesome, yeah, it's just, it's just, it's
just monumental.
So I thank you so much for one,starting and just doing it, but
also two for coming on here andtalking a little bit more about
it and just helping us spreadthe word about all the amazing
things that you guys do atEducate, because it's just
amazing and it doesn't stopthere.
Y'all have other programs andthings like that too, so tell me
(22:06):
a little bit about that.
Speaker 3 (22:08):
Yeah, so Compassionate Touch is our other
core program, and have you donethe training on that yet?
Speaker 2 (22:15):
I haven't.
I don't even think we've got todo it Because listen.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Dementia Live is running our lives.
Okay, we make sure we get thattaken care of.
Speaker 3 (22:25):
Yep and we always tell program partners start with
Dementia Live, and that's youknow don't go on to the next one
.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
We're gonna get to it .
Speaker 3 (22:32):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Compassionate touch.
The story of that is quiteremarkable as well.
I met the creator ofcompassionate touch 10 plus
(22:59):
years ago and she had createdthis skilled touch program that
she was teaching to massagetherapists.
And I saw it and, of course,already in the dementia world
and saw that it was simpleskilled touch techniques that
required no, it wasn't anylicensing required.
Speaker 1 (23:09):
So you know it was no massage.
Speaker 3 (23:12):
So I connected with her.
Her name was Ann Catlin, anoccupational therapist, and so
we brought on CompassionateTouch right after Dementia Live
as another solution toperson-centered care techniques
that any caregiver can learn.
(23:34):
Any family member can learn tohelp their loved one calm,
connect.
You know, sleep Just really isa beautiful program.
I'll be anxious for you tostart it and get some feedback.
Speaker 1 (23:50):
Yeah, that's important because a lot of
people the Alzheimer's sundowning.
There are some behavioralaspects to it as well.
Sometimes we have someoutbursts, sometimes we're just
mellow or you know, it justdepends and it's different for
everybody.
So being able to, as a lovedone, combat those feelings and
those emotions when they come,it's just super important.
(24:10):
You're empowered as a caregiverwhen you do things like that.
So I love that.
Now, listen, you done fueled myfire for compassion.
We're going to hop on that assoon as this is over, but I just
love that.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
I love all of that, and so tell me what other things
you have going on.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
Well, those are our two cores that are keeping us
busy too.
We also add in some one hourcourses called Reveal Aging.
That is added to your programyou know of.
Dementia Live and CompassionateTouch, just a reinforcement to
caregivers.
You know of Dementia Live andCompassionate Touch.
Just a reinforcement tocaregivers.
You know micro-learning content.
They can take the courses ontheir phone.
(24:45):
You know, in 10-minute blocks.
As we all know, the world goesfast these days and so we know
caregivers are busy, but theymay have 10 minutes to stop.
So those courses really supportthe two core courses.
And then we have the artsprogram.
And so you know we are lookingforward next year to celebrating
(25:11):
the 10 years of Dementia Livewith just some cool things.
We're going to be bringing outAwesome and new packages we're
going to add, but we've seensuch phenomenal growth with
Dementia Live that that's goingto continue for sure.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
Well, please, let the people know like Compassionate
Touch those 10-minute trainings,let them know where they can
access all of that and wherethey can find out more about
Educate Dementia Live, yeah, letthem know where they can access
all of that and where they canfind out more about Educate
Dementia Live.
Speaker 3 (25:42):
Yeah, so we have a strange name, but it'll.
It'll pop up right away onGoogle, so just educate dot com.
It's A-G-E-U-C-A-T-E dot comand and my email is Pam at
Educate, and you can alwaysreach out directly to me with
questions or, you know, alwayshappy to engage.
(26:03):
I'm not one of those that staysaway from doing that.
So I'm very involved in DementiaFriendly Fort Worth as well and
have talked to lots and lots ofdementia friendlyfriendly
initiatives across the countrywho are trying to get off the
ground, and I'm always reallyhappy to share the great success
(26:25):
we've had in Fort Worth andkind of mentor others.
So that's another reason.
If you are part of adementia-friendly initiative and
saying how do I start, when doI get going?
Call me.
I'd love to talk to you andit's just part of my love of
this whole space and my beliefthat we all can do so much more
(26:50):
and we will.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Yes, yes, awesome, awesome.
Well, as you can see, you haveresources, educations, at your
fingertips, so you haveeverything that you need to kind
of take the next step, learnand get the training needed to
better serve your community, butalso your loved ones that are
going through Alzheimer's anddementia.
So, ms Pam, I thank you forbeing with us today.
I thank you for all the justinvaluable information that you
(27:13):
share with us, and so we'll makesure that they have all of the
information that you left todayso they can gather all of what
we talked about today in our bio.
So, taking you over to ourpodcast website, you'll be able
to download everything wediscussed today, transcribed
just for you under thetranscript tab.
Now, if you've enjoyed whatyou've heard today and would
like to hear more, pleasesubscribe and follow us on
(27:33):
YouTube at the Journey Out, andas well as follow us on all
podcast platforms the JourneyOut and as well as follow us on
all podcast platforms.
On our podcast website, you cansupport the Journey Out podcast
with a monthly donation of yourchoosing, helping us to
continue to provide theseepisodes every week.
Your contribution is more thanappreciated and we thank you.
And with that, that is a wrapon today's episode of the
Journey Out.
We pray that the thingsdiscussed today have been a
(27:54):
helping hand for you and theones you hold close, positively
bringing you out of one seasonto the next, starting your
Exodus journey.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
And hopefully, the things that you learned gave you
the knowledge to be a resourceto yourself, your family and
your community.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Thank you, guys.
Have a good one in the video.
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