With caregivers and family members working to support a loved one, a dementia diagnosis rarely affects the patient alone. That is why, on February 27, Tessera of Brandon unveiled its new ‘Learn to Earn’ Education Program.
The Learn to Earn Education Program is a series of virtual and in-person workshops that aim to equip assisted living residents and their families with information to better understand dementia. The only eligibility requirement for families is to have a relative who is currently a resident at Tessera of Brandon.
“We’re always striving to … educate families and to make it possible for them to understand dementia more — what they can expect, better ways to communicate and then insight into how it feels to have dementia,” said Jill Andrew, Tessera of Brandon’s director of marketing. “…Then they can understand why our staff responds in certain ways and how they too can respond to make it a positive experience for everybody involved.”
To incentivize enrollment, Tessera of Brandon is currently offering all participants the opportunity to earn credit toward a resident’s rent. Available until Friday, August 30, participants earn one credit for every meeting they attend, with the potential to accrue as many as three credits. So far, 23 families have successfully earned these three credits.
The program is currently centered around support group gatherings, which meet on the third Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. and the fourth Wednesday of every month at 2 p.m. These meetings offer virtual and in-person options.
Speakers often include caregivers from the local community, including individuals who have been referred by the Alzheimer’s Association and/or local churches. While these sessions provide an overview of the condition itself, caregivers are encouraged to speak on the challenges they currently face and how symptoms are approached.
While the program is currently temporary, Andrew hopes to transform the Learn to Earn Education Program into a permanent curriculum available year-round. As the program teaches friends and family how to aid and comfort their loved ones, Andrew noted that these meetings have altered how these attendees fundamentally connect with dementia patients.
“It’s turned sympathy — being sympathetic toward somebody — to having the empathy, which is much more productive,” said Andrew.
For more information about the Learn to Earn program and other opportunities offered by Tessera of Brandon, please call 813-607-6880 or visit www.tesserabrandon.com. Tessera of Brandon is located at 1320 Oakfield Dr. in Brandon.
