The Center for Healthy Aging and Wellness at the University of Southern Indiana (USI) has received a grant to improve the lives of people with dementia, according to a press release from the university.
The money comes from the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH). The nearly $800,000 will fund training for nursing home workers in the care of dementia patients.
"Developing a workforce with a depth of dementia-related knowledge and the skills to train and coach others who care for elders in nursing homes is a necessary response to the projected number of Indiana residents who may need formal nursing home care over the next 30 years," Dr. Katie Ehlman said in the press release. Ehlman is an associate professor of gerontology at USI and director of the center.
The project is a partnership with Teepa Snow, a North Carolina-based occupational therapist. The university previously received an ISDH grant in 2016 to work with Snow. For that project, the university partnered with twelve local nursing homes to provide professional development in dementia care for trainers on their staffs.