Taking care of a person living with Alzheimer’s or related dementia at home is specialized work. To do this work successfully, caregivers need special skills, knowledge, and a positive attitude that helps them to care for themselves.
St. John’s Community Care offers Savvy Caregiver training sessions several times a year to aid family caregivers in this role. The Savvy Caregiver Program is a free, six-session training for family and friends who are actively caring for those living with Alzheimer’s or related dementias. St. John’s trainers use curriculum developed by the University of Minnesota for interactive classes.

Each session participants in the class learn relevant techniques and coping skills to manage daily living situations. It teaches the basic knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to handle the challenges of caring for someone with dementia. With this new knowledge and understanding, family caregivers are able to reduce stress and increase their sense of competence in dementia caregiving.