“This has been something that the unit has wanted to do for a long time.”
Gretchen Johnson is Chief Nursing Officer and VP of Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services hospital and acute services.
“I think the training, the skills they’ve learned will help them provide better-informed care for our folks with dementia that we serve on our older adult units.”
The Dementia Institute was established in 2023 based on more than 30 years of experience caring for people living with dementia through its partner organization, Holland Home. Around 88% of staff at the institute participated in training sessions required for accreditation.
Institute director Curt Gritters: “Certification of each individual involves going through a dementia simulation to quite literally walk in the shoes of somebody living with dementia for some time, and that really involves empathy.
According to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, regional dementia cases are on the rise, primarily driven by a rapidly aging population. Statewide numbers show around 203,000 adults living with dementia, or just over 11% of the population.
