Team Leaders Achieve Dementia Certification, Elevating Care Standards at Ascension Living
Ascension Living is proud to announce that Gail Johnson, Director of Operational Excellence, and Kelsey Burnham, Program Manager of Memory Support, have achieved the designation of Certified Dementia Practitioners®️ (CDP) through the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCCDP), reflecting their commitment to enhancing our Memory Support programs. Additionally, Gail has earned the prestigious C.A.R.E.S. Dementia Specialist (CDS) designation, further elevating her expertise.
“Gail and Kelsey’s accomplishments underscore Ascension Living’s commitment to excellence and innovation in dementia care,” remarks Erin Shadbolt, RN, Chief Executive Officer, Ascension Living. “We are honored to have leaders who are devoted to advancing their skills and setting new standards in the industry.”
The CDP certification is a testament to our team’s dedication to providing personalized care to residents with dementia and their families. Our comprehensive advanced training equips staff to meet the unique physical, emotional, social and sensory needs of those we serve. This achievement aligns with Ascension Living’s vision to foster continuous growth among associates, ultimately improving the quality of care and support for our residents.
Historically focused on caregiver needs, dementia care has evolved to prioritize person-centered approaches. This shift involves engaging residents in their perceived reality to minimize agitation and confusion, thereby reducing challenging behaviors and enhancing the caregiving experience.
To help ensure person-centered care, all associates with Ascension Living communities who engage with memory loss residents and their families participate in advanced training. The hands-on training helps the team deliver the right care and support for residents to meet their unique physical, emotional, social and sensory needs. It also provides associates a unique “inside-out” look at what it’s like to live with dementia. This allows the team to fully understand the impacts of the disease, resulting limitations and the reason behind residents’ changes in behavior.
To learn more about Ascension Living’s memory support programming, visit at ascensionliving.org/memory.
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About us
Ascension Living, based in St. Louis and part of Ascension, is a mission-driven senior living provider deeply connected to our Catholic faith that cares for the physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being of all individuals we serve. Our Mission calls us to provide spiritually centered, holistic care to seniors, particularly those most in need. We offer a wide range of programs tailored to meet the unique needs of older adults. Regardless of everyone’s stage in life, our goal is to provide seniors with opportunities designed to make their lives joyful, enriching and satisfying. With communities in 11 states and the District of Columbia, our ministries are continually developing and adopting new best practices in care that enhance the experiences of our residents, program participants and patients. Learn more at www.ascensionliving.org.
Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization dedicated to transformation through innovation across the continuum of care. As one of the leading non-profit and Catholic health systems in the U.S., Ascension is committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable. In FY2021, Ascension provided $2.3 billion in care of persons living in poverty and other community benefit programs. Ascension includes more than 150,000 associates and 40,000 aligned providers. The national health system operates more than 2,600 sites of care – including 142 hospitals and more than 40 senior living facilities – in 19 states and the District of Columbia, while providing a variety of services including clinical and network services, venture capital investing, investment management, biomedical engineering, facilities management, risk management, and contracting through Ascension’s own group purchasing organization. Visit www.ascension.org.