CARES® Dementia Education for Families
CARES® Dementia Care for Families™
4 hours, 4 modules, with or without certification
CARES® for Families was developed specifically for those caring for a loved one living at home. It includes many practical strategies, tips, and the 5-step CARES® Approach.
$49 Program Only. Program & Certification $99.
About CARES® Dementia Care for Families™
This award-winning training and certification program was developed for family members or friends caring for a loved one with memory loss or dementia. Like our other CARES® products, this program centers around the CARES® Approach and offers many practical and invaluable strategies to common caregiving situations.
"CARES" stands for:
C - Connect with the Person
A - Assess Behavior
R - Respond Appropriately
E - Evaluate What Works
S - Share with Others
This program is rich with activities and video interviews with family caregivers, people with dementia, and dementia experts. We suggest that facility administrators purchase a site license that includes families so that everyone (staff and families) can have a common understanding and language around the CARES® Approach and dementia care.
CARES® Dementia Care for Families™ was funded in part by a grant from the National Institute on Aging and was developed in conjunction with the national office of the Alzheimer's Association and a national team of experts.
Continue With One of Our CARES® Individual Products
Once you have completed CARES® Dementia Care for Families, consider completing one of our other advanced topics. These programs are intended primarily for professional staff members providing care for someone living with dementia and are not focused on care at home. However, many family members express an interest in learning even more about dementia care after completing CARES Dementia Care for Families. The programs below offer them an opportunity to do so.
CARES® Dementia Basics™
4 hours, 4 modules, with certification
Learn the "basics" of quality dementia care. Topics include an introduction to dementia, person-centered care, behavior as communication, and the 5-step CARES® Approach. Learn More
CARES® Dementia Advanced Care™
6 hours, 6 modules, with certification
This program is focused specifically on important safety and compliance topics including food and fluid intake, pain, wandering, falls, eliminating restraints, and making a connection. Learn More
CARES® Dementia-Related Behavior™
4 hours, 4 modules, with certification
Learn how to respond to fear, frustration, and anger as well as behavior such as yelling, cursing, hitting, biting, public urination, as well as a respectful discussion of sexual behavior. Learn More
CARES® Activities of Daily Living™ 4-Hour
4 hours, 4 modules, with certification
This program focuses on the activities of daily living (ADLs) across all levels of thinking decline (early-stage to late-stage) in the challenging care areas of eating, toileting, and bathing. Learn More
CARES® Activities of Daily Living™ 10-Hour
10 hours, 10 modules, with certification
This is an expanded version of CARES ADL 4-hour program with additional topics in the areas of dressing, grooming, mouth care, pain, mobility, transferring, and positioning. Learn More
CARES® End-of-Life Dementia Care™
5 hours, 5 modules, with certification
CARES® End of Life focuses on comfort care, emotional support, and spiritual support at the end of life. It equips you with important tools to provide end-of-life care with confidence. Learn More
CARES® Elder Abuse Awareness and Prevention™
3 hours, 4 modules, with certification
This program describes the 7 types of elder abuse, how to recognize signs of abuse, and ways to help prevent elder abuse. The program also provides local and national resources. Learn More
CARES® Serious Mental Illness™
4 hours, 4 modules, with certification
This program describes the 4 major types of serious mental illness, how SMI differs from Alzheimer's and dementia, and how you can develop care strategies for those with SMI. Learn More
CARES® Dementia-Friendly Hospitals: Preventing Adverse Events™
8 hours, 16 modules, with certification
This program is focused on the fast-paced acute care setting in hospitals and medical centers. It specifically targets the prevention of costly adverse events within 16 topic areas. Learn More
CARES® Dementia Specialist™ (C.D.S.) Credential
40 Hours, 40 Modules, with 8 Certifications
Earn your C.D.S. credential by completing the entire 40-hour CARES Curriculum. Learn new skills, demonstrate knowledge, become a specialist, and get recognized professionally. Learn More
$599 (30% Off Buying Programs/Exam Separately)