Pitt’s Regional Dementia Caregiver Training and Employment Program received a $500,000 grant from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation

The University of Pittsburgh is among four Henry L. Hillman Foundation awardees of its Healthy Aging Challenge. Pitt’s Regional Dementia Caregiver Training and Employment Program received a $500,000 grant to further its work in growing and training the region’s skilled dementia caregiver workforce.

The Pittsburgh Regional Dementia Caregiver Training and Employment Program reports there are more than 26,000 residents of Allegheny County living with dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the county. The Pitt program is training hundreds of caregivers on skills essential to support persons living with dementia.

The program includes three training tracks: training for formal caregivers working in settings such as hospitals and nursing homes, informal caregivers supporting friends and family in home settings, and “intergenerational champions” — high school and college students who might consider future careers as caregivers and health care professionals.

The program provides hands-on experience dealing with common challenges faced by caregivers of all types. By learning how to leverage a person’s reserved cognitive skills, participants can foster engagement in daily tasks and social activities.

Read more about the Henry L. Hillman Foundation Healthy Aging Challenge.