Our Services
Shifting the Culture of Dementia Care
At Rooted in Care Consulting, our goal is to transform the current approach to dementia care by moving away from an over-reliance on sedating medication toward a deeper understanding of the unmet needs that behaviors may be expressing. As a speech-language pathologist, I’ve long believed that all behavior is communication—this is especially true when the parts of the brain responsible for language processing and expression are changing.
Put simply: how would you want to be treated if you were living with dementia? What would you want your care partners to understand about you as a person?
Perhaps you were a lifelong runner, and what some now label as “elopement” or “exit seeking” is actually your body remembering that every day at 4 p.m., you went out for a run. Or maybe the “banging” on furniture with a fork isn’t agitation, but an echo of your years working as a housekeeper—tidying and cleaning, as you always did.
What if someone lashes out when being undressed, not out of aggression, but because of changes in visual field/perception and auditory processing which means they don’t see your hand approaching or hear the content of your explanation, just the rhythm of your speech? You’ve taken them by surprise. And truly—who among us wants to be touched without warning?
These shifts in understanding aren’t just about improving care—they’re about restoring dignity, deepening empathy, and transforming relationships with those living with dementia.
This is what makes our services different.
$0
In this 30-minute complimentary consulting session, I will gather information and collaborate with you to explore potential strategies, drawing on my training and expertise as a PAC™ Certified Independent Consultant. This initial session is designed to lay a strong foundation for future work, should you choose to continue.
Consulting
30-Minute Initial Complimentary Consulting Session
1 Hour Consulting Session
$95
In this 1-hour consulting session, I will gather information and collaborate with you to explore potential strategies, drawing on my training and expertise as a PAC™ Certified Independent Consultant. Together, we will work to uncover the root causes of current challenges—whether related to care, communication, activities of daily living, or other concerns.
Our focus will be on identifying the most pressing need, brainstorming adaptable solutions, and setting one to two clear, actionable goals for implementation per session. If multiple areas of concern arise, we can schedule follow-up consulting sessions to address them in the same structured and supportive manner.
As a PAC™ Certified Independent Consultant, I have access to a variety of tools developed by Teepa Snow to guide this process, including:
6 Pieces of the Puzzle
GEMS®
5 P’s
PIPES
These resources allow for a comprehensive and person-centered approach to understanding and improving care dynamics.
5 Session Consulting Package
$400
This package is the most cost-effective option for ongoing support and guidance. If you're navigating multiple situations or challenges, this may be the ideal choice. Since each session typically focuses on one to two actionable goals, multiple sessions are recommended to ensure thorough, focused progress across all areas of concern.
Training
Workshop A: Normal Aging vs. Not Normal Aging
$60/person
(if this is a training for an entire staff, with groups of 10+, every 10th person is free)
Normal Aging vs. Not Normal Aging
This workshop helps learners understand and recognize the differences in normal and not normal aging. The learner will develop better observational skills to recognize and intervene effectively when behavioral challenges occur. Learners will also develop new skills related to approach, cueing, and the ability to connect with people affected by dementia. The workshop will also address typical changes that happen in the early, middle, and late stages of the condition including the final care concerns.
Workshop Objectives:
· Compare and contrast normal aging versus not normal aging related to various cognitive functions.
· Describe the five sensory input and processing systems, highlighting the dominant role of vision, and the major differences between protective and discriminating sensation in each.
· Discuss the impact of changing sensory awareness and processing as dementia progresses.
This is a 2-hour workshop
Workshop B: Positive Physical Approach™ & Hand-under-Hand®
$60/person
(if this is a training for an entire staff, with groups of 10+, every 10th person is free)
Positive Physical Approach™ & Hand-under-Hand®
This workshop helps learners understand how to adapt how we interact when the other person’s brain is changing. This workshop will include explanations of how the brain is changing when someone is living with dementia and what care partners can do to be supportive. Learners will practice the use of Positive Physical Approach™(PPA) and Hand-under-Hand®, developed by Teepa Snow. Both techniques are based in building relationships and doing with people instead of to people.
Workshop Objectives:
· Describe changes in visual processing
· Compare and contrast traditional social greeting and communication efforts with PPA as it relates to reactions and responses from the person living with dementia.
· Demonstrate PPA in simulated situations
· Describe the purpose and value of using the Hand-under-Hand® technique with people living with dementia.
· Demonstrate Hand-under-Hand® to promote mobility and assistance with ADLs.
This is a 2-hour workshop
Workshop C: Seeing GEMS®, Not Just Loss
$60/person
(if this is a training for an entire staff, with groups of 10+, every 10th person is free)
Seeing GEMS®, Not Just Loss
This workshop helps learners understand the GEMS® Model developed by Teepa Snow. This model is based on the Allen cognitive scale and focuses on what is retained for people living with dementia instead of only focusing on what is lost. In identifying retained skills and abilities, learners will be able to provide the right level of support and assistance in care with people in different ability states. By understanding GEMS States, we can learn to provide the best care and setting so that everyone can shine.
Workshop Objectives:
· Discuss the value and importance of seeing people living with dementia as having retained abilities, value, and benefiting from the right support and care to optimize performance and quality of life
· Identify six GEMS States – highlighting retained abilities for each GEMS State
· Compare and contrast 6 states of cognitive function and ability as GEMS States
· Practice ways to help the person being cared for feel productive and valued
This is a 2-hour workshop
Workshop A, B, & C
$120/person
(if this is a training for an entire staff, with groups of 10+, every 10th person is free)
This is the most cost-effective option, combining all three workshops into a single, full-day learning experience. By choosing this format, participants may also be eligible to submit for Continuing Education Units (CEUs), depending on their profession.
The full-day workshop includes six hours of content and interactive learning, with scheduled breaks between each session and a dedicated lunch break to support engagement and focus throughout the day.
PAC disclaimer:
PAC Certified Independent Trainers/Consultants are not employees of Positive Approach, LLC.
The opinions and views expressed by PAC Certified Independent Trainers/ Consultants do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of Positive Approach, LLC or any of its employees. Positive Approach, LLC is not liable for any actions by PAC Certified Independent Trainers/Consultants.
Educational content provided by Positive Approach to Care® is used with permission and based on the GEMS® and the techniques, strategies, and overall approach to care created and developed by Positive Approach, LLC. www.teepasnow.com
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