The Presence Care Project is a new, innovative mindfulness-based dementia care training for family and professional care partners (caregivers). Unlike other forms of training that are skills-based only and tend to be quickly forgotten, the Presence Care approach results in sustained attitudinal changes aimed at benefiting care partners throughout the long journey of dementia. The Presence Care training is the only mindfulness-based program designed specifically to meet the unique challenges of dementia care.
The 3 Pillars of Presence Care:
Mindfulness
Practice
Care partners first learn to incorporate mindfulness practices into various care situations. Mindfulness or the ability to be fully present in the moment has been scientifically proven to be an effective stress-reduction strategy.
Experiential
Understanding
Second, care partners learn to understand and adapt to the reality of the experience of the person living with dementia. This is accomplished through a combination of lectures, group sharing, and role plays.
Community
Support
Third, care partners learn to develop a mindful care community and strategies to develop such a community. Although simple, mindfulness practice is hard to sustain without the support of a community of practice.
