Free Class for Caregivers of Individuals with Dementia

Savvy Caregiver® is a class for family and friends caring for someone living with memory loss or Alzheimer’s disease.

For most family caregivers, caregiving is a new role and one for which training is needed – just as you would receive training for any new job. The Savvy Caregiver® Program helps caregivers better understand the changes their loved ones are experiencing, and how to best provide individualized care for them throughout the progression of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. Participants will learn how to feel better about their caregiver role and how to care for themselves. The Savvy Caregiver® Program was developed by experts in caregiving techniques and goes beyond introductory educational offerings to provide clinical-level training for family caregivers.

Participants will receive a manual to refer to at home, and have homework that provides opportunities to put new knowledge to work, practice new skills, and assess how things are going between class. The class will be taught by Monica Crespo, BS, BA, Caregiver Specialist with WestMass ElderCare and Carol Constant, CDP, both of whom are certified Savvy Caregiver® Group Leaders.

The class will be held at the RiverMills Senior Center located at 5 West Main Street in Chicopee on Mondays from 1-3pm starting July 8.  The six-week class is free, but registration is required; please contact Sabrina Denesha (413)538-9020, ext. 470 or sdenesha@wmeldercare.org to register for the class by July 2. Please contact Monica Crespo (413)538-9020, ext. 403 or mcrespo@wmeldercare.org to inquire about course content or respite care opportunities for class participants.