Alia Zaro, social worker at Showalter Center at Warm Hearth Village (WHV) recently became a Positive Approach to Care (PAC) Certified Independent Trainer. Using Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care certified trainers help others see dementia from the viewpoint of those living with it. Participants are trained to conduct educational sessions in dementia care residences or retirement communities with desired outcomes that include reduced burnout and turnover, increased morale and satisfaction and a more resident-centered approach to care all of which align tightly with Warm Hearth’s mission and current efforts to attract and retain the highest quality employees.
Zaro spent about six months attending workshops, completing hours of pre-course work and three full-day virtual training sessions to learn to train others. She was supported in her efforts by the Warm Hearth Foundation with paid tuition through the Employee Scholarship Program. This program, funded by donors, awards money to employees seeking opportunities for education and career advancement and has provided more than $40,000 in support of employees since its inception.
Zaro said she learned real life strategies to help residents and their caregivers dealing with dementia. “Now I see things from the perspective of an individual with dementia and I know how to approach them in a way to make them feel more comfortable and in control of their lives,” she said.
