Helping a family member or patient who has been diagnosed with memory loss can be difficult, especially without formal training. Edina-based HealthCare Interactive, with John Hobday at the helm, has released a series of online training sessions and DVD programs aimed at educating family members and professional caregivers on strategies to care for those who are living with memory loss or dementia.
“This is an approach to care that is based on looking at the behavior, making connections with this person and slowing down,” Hobday says.
HealthCare Interactive’s online trainings and videos, which can be purchased on the company’s website, were filmed in real situations in 18 states, with the help of national experts. Hobday’s own grandmother had Alzheimer’s and inspired the creation of software, which is designed to help families prepare themselves for this situation.
“I actually started the research work before my grandmother started to decline,” Hobday says. “Although the company didn’t start with the family, once it happened with my grandma it became my life mission. If I can help one other family in Minnesota or around the country, that would be great.”
The national Alzheimer’s Association has partnered with HealthCare Interactive through its CARES program, which offers a path to certification in specialized knowledge of memory loss care. “The one thing I hear the most from families is that they wish they would have had this in the past with their own experiences,” Hobday says.
More information on the software is available at hcinteractive.com.
