Sparta police officers trained in Alzheimer's and dementia care

Sparta - Sparta police officers recently completed a course conducted by the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners in the area of Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care. The entire police force completed the seven-hour training, conducted over a two -day period. Topics covered included recognizing abuse and neglect in the home; communication (“live their truth”); paranoia; hallucinations; aggressive behaviors; catastrophic reactions; wandering; elopement; hoarding; symptoms of dementia; care-giver issues; depression; sexuality and intimacy issues; cultural diversity; pain, environment, spirituality, and end-of-life issues, and others. The instructors were Lynn Biot Gordon, LCSW, CDP, of Gordon Social Work Consultants, and Sandra Stimson, GALA, ADC, CDP, of Alternative Solutions in Long Term Care. The training was conducted at Knoll Properties, a HUD-subsidized senior housing complex in Sparta. Police departments throughout the country are receiving an increased number of calls from elderly people in their community who are confused, or from care givers calling because family members have wandered away from home, and residents of long-term care facilities who have eloped. They are often faced with a confused elderly person and are unsure how to respond to their questions. As the number of dementia cases continues to increase nationwide and worldwide, there is a great necessity to insure that front-line staff and community service organizations, such as law enforcement, are well trained to provide appropriate care and support for the dementia patient. The goal of the council is to develop and encourage comprehensive standards of excellence in the profession and delivery of dementia care. For information, call (toll free) 877-729-5191 or visit online at nccdp.org.