Free Dementia Training for Gloucester County First Responders

Expert to cover successful approaches, communication tools, and problem solving skills

Consider the range of unpredictable situations first responders face each day. About 51 million Americans are age 65 and over while about 5.8 million live with some type of dementia. These statistics drastically increase first responders’ chances not only, of encountering older adults, but also those with cognitive impairments.

As an educational public service, United Methodist Communities at Pitman is offering a free Dementia Training on Wednesday, July 31 to first responders in Gloucester County. The senior community is conveniently located at 535 North Oak Avenue in Pitman. The evening begins at 6:00pm with a light dinner followed by the training 6:30pm.

Pamela Garofolo, corporate manager, Tapestries (UMC’s Memory Care residences), is a Certified Assisted Living Administrator, Nationally Certified Counselor, Certified Professional Counselor Supervisor, and holds a Master of Psychology.

The training will help equip first responders when assisting individuals who have cognitive impairment. The planned content includes the basics and biology of Alzheimer disease and other related neurocognitive disorders, why emergency management and related services need to know successful approaches and communication tools, and developing problem solving and critical thinking skills.

Garofolo states, “Dementia competency is essential among our first responders, who selflessly lend aid in all types of situations. They are, pretty much guaranteed to see more and more dementia in the course of their service.”

Please RSVP to msesok@UMComminities.org or call 856-589-7800.