Carlton Senior Living Becomes a Teepa Snow Positive Approach to Care® Designated Organization
Carlton’s Positive Approach to Care® designation marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to providing exceptional care for individuals living with dementia.
Who is Teepa Snow?
Teepa is a renowned expert in dementia care who has dedicated her career of over 40 years to improving the lives of people living with dementia and those who care for them.
Her expertise comes from a combination of her personal experience as a care partner, her work as an occupational therapist, and her various roles in the senior living space, including the Alzheimer’s Association. Her internationally recognized dementia training method, Positive Approach to Care®, has become the standard of how to train care partners to best support people living with brain change. Learn More About Teepa
What is Positive Approach to Care® (PAC)?
Positive Approach to Care® focuses on building positive relationships, fostering a sense of well-being, and providing person-centered care based on the person living with dementia’s unique needs and abilities. Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care® (PAC) has been widely recognized and has earned her numerous awards, including the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers.
What Makes a PAC Designated Organization?
We are excited to share that Carlton Elk Grove and Carlton Fremont are both PAC Aware Designated Organizations. Achieving this designation involved several hours of intensive training to thoroughly understand Teepa’s philosophy and many hours of dedicated practice in teaching her principles effectively. Our commitment to PAC doesn’t stop there; our communities in Orangevale, Sacramento, Davis, Downtown Pleasant Hill, Memory Care of Contra Costa, San Leandro, and San Jose are also actively working towards earning their certifications. In pursuit of this goal, Carlton has wholeheartedly embraced PAC principles, making them an integral part of our company culture.
Carlton University Instructors: PAC Certified Trainers
Carlton University instructors, who have conducted hands-on training for all Carlton employees since 2016, will now take their expertise to the next level by becoming Certified PAC Trainers. This certification allows them to enhance their teaching methods by directly utilizing Teepa Snow’s slides, language, materials, and techniques in their dementia care education. This will allow all Carlton Employees to receive training on topics like Teepa Snow’s GEMS®, Positive Physical Approach™, Hand-under-Hand®, and typical versus a-typical aging. As Certified PAC Trainers, Carlton University Instructors continue their commitment to developing compassionate and effective Care Partners who provide the best possible support for our residents living with dementia.
Carlton’s Memory Care Neighborhoods: PAC Certified Coaches
Managers in each of Carlton’s Memory Care Neighborhoods are working towards becoming PAC Certified Coaches, empowering them to personally mentor our Care Partners in supporting individuals living with brain change. As PAC Certified Coaches, our managers can bring training from the classroom directly to the floor, offering in-the-moment coaching and guidance. They play a vital role in helping Care Partners understand the unique perspective of those living with dementia, demonstrating PAC Skills with empathy, assessing progress, and ensuring the consistent application of PAC Skills.
Memory Care Activities: PAC Engagement Leader
Every Memory Care Neighborhood has a dedicated Memory Care Activity Manager and assistant responsible for creating moments of joy and engagement for all residents living with brain change. These moments of joy can’t be obtained until we first build an individual relationship with each resident. That relationship requires our staff to know each resident’s life story, current GEMS® state, and how to use Positive Physical Approach™. The entire activity program is overseen by Sherrilynn Geban, a certified PAC Engagement Leader, who infuses Teepa Snow’s engagement techniques as the building blocks of our program.
Resident Liaison: PAC Certified Consultant
Each Carlton community has a dedicated Resident Liaison that is responsible for creating a positive resident experience. This social services role works with residents and their families to help foster positive psychosocial well-being and moments of purpose. Jessica Beck, a certified PAC Consultant, oversees this program. She uses the skills of this certification in conjunction with her Master of Social Work (MSW) to counsel and lead the Resident Liaison team.
Becoming a Teepa Snow PAC Designated Organization is a significant milestone in our journey to elevate the quality of dementia care at Carlton Senior Living.
By embracing Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care®, we are committed to equipping our staff with the knowledge and skills to deliver exceptional care and support to our residents and their families. We are thrilled to share this exciting journey with you. Stay tuned to hear more about our progress in becoming a PAC Designated Organization.