In 2019, UCSF was awarded a five-year, $3.2 million California Department of Public Health Alzheimer’s Research Award to study the impact of IHSS+ Alzheimer’s training in partnership with the Center for Caregiver Advancement (CCA) and Alameda Alliance for Health (AAH).
The Center for Caregiver Advancement (CCA) provided an Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) course, which was specialized training for caregivers to help them understand how to care for people with ADRD.
Impact of ADRD Training for Caregivers
The project had a significant positive impact on our graduates. Our students feel more confident to care for their consumers after completing our program. According to the impact study conducted by UC San Francisco researchers:
97% felt that they learned new caregiving skills during the training
94% agreed/strongly agreed that communication with their consumer improved because of this training.
The study also showed that dementia knowledge significantly increased after training. Data from a three-month follow-up survey suggest good knowledge retention. The study concluded that the results “support the importance of continuing and expanding this work with home care workers.”
By consistently incorporating student feedback, providing administrative assistance, and offering makeup classes, we create an environment where our students feel supported, empowered, and valued. These services not only contribute to the success of our students but also enhance the overall impact and effectiveness of our training programs.
These findings were published in the Journal of Gerontology.
Read our Year 4 Report:
