McKenney Home Care Administrator Earns Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Training

 Naples, FL: Michele Leftwich, RN, administrator at McKenney Home Care, is now a Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer (CADDCT) today announced by Patrice Magrath, co-founder of the Naples-based family-owned private duty home care agency serving Collier, Lee, Charlotte and Sarasota counties.

 “Certification ensures our caregivers are better equipped to support seniors who have dementia — an umbrella term referring to a decline in memory, language and other faculties,” says Ms. Magrath, adding that quality dementia training leads to reduced care partner stress and equips caregivers with effective tools to better respond and meet the needs of persons living with dementia.

 “Training and encouraging our employees to continue their education are core best practices that reinforce our company’s commitment to arming our employees with more skills to care for patients and enhancing the skills and  knowledge of our professionals in the field,” she adds.

 “Caring for a dementia patient is complicated,” explains Ms. Leftwich who has worked in senior care for 12 years and was named McKenney’s care administrator in 2022.  “Persons living with dementia have complex care needs including memory loss that must be taken into account by both the professional home ­care providers and family caregivers involved with their care,” she says.

Certified Alzheimer’s training covers a wide range of topics such as understanding the differences between typical aging, mild cognitive impairment, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Caregivers also learn how to recognize and manage dementia symptoms while deepening their empathy toward patients.

Training includes immersive learning. Caregivers develop tools for helping seniors work through frustration and memory loss, giving them a chance to feel more productive and happier. Training also teaches caregivers to respond appropriately to difficult situations such as dealing with physically combative clients.

An estimated 6.7 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with dementia and the numbers are growing as the baby boom generation ages. The U.S. National Institute on Aging estimates people over the age of 65 will make up 16% of the world’s population by 2050 — up from 8% in 2010. Additionally, obesity, diabetes and sedentary lifestyles in younger people are rising quickly and these are risk factors for dementia.

 “As the number of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias grows, it is more important than ever to implement the latest approaches to evidence-based, person-centered care practices when caring for individuals living with dementia,” comments Ms. Magrath.

About McKenney Home Care

Named Best Places to Work in Southwest Florida in 2023, McKenney Home Care is a family-owned private duty home care agency serving Collier, Lee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties with offices at 9655 Tamiami Trail North #201 Naples, Florida 34108 (239) 325-2273 License #299994144 and 871 Venetia Bay Blvd #210 Venice, Florida 34285  (941) 548-1182 License #29999490.  All 200+ McKenney caregivers, ranging from nurses to CNAs to companions, are salaried employees that are bonded and insured, have access to extensive benefits including PTO and are trained by the agency to manage individual cases.      www.mckenneyhomecare.com.