Christina Wingate-Spence, BrightStar Care’s regional director of Marketing and Community Outreach, recently earned her certification as a Certified Dementia Practitioner® (CDP®), announces Robert Brueckman, president and owner of BrightStar Care of Anne Arundel County, Easton and Salisbury.
Issued by the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCCDP), CDP certification is offered to those professionals who have completed the Council’s Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Seminar, given by a Certified Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia Trainer. Additionally, candidates for CDP certification must demonstrate that they share the same professional goals for the NCCDP among which are to develop and inspire comprehensive standards of excellence in direct care, education and sensitivity in Alzheimer’s and dementia care.
According to Brueckman, Wingate-Spence has worked in the health care industry for more than 15 years in various sales, marketing and strategic communications capacities. “In her position at BrightStar, Christina spends a great deal of time educating professional and family caregivers about dementia, having become a certified facilitator of the Virtual Dementia Tour® (VDT) in the fall of 2017,” he says.
The VDT – a patented program of nonprofit organization Second Wind Dreams® – uses patented sensory tools and research-based training, making it possible for participants to experience the physical and mental challenges associated with dementia. This simulation is ideal for professional and family caregivers, health care workers and community members, who have routine interactions with people living with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or other cognitive impairments. BrightStar Care offers the simulation and training to various health care providers, community agencies and family caregivers across the Eastern Shore and in Anne Arundel and Price George’s counties.
“As we continue to see a rise in the senior population and a significant increase in the number of people living with Alzheimer’s disease and various dementias, the need for education among family and professional caregivers has grown exponentially,” says Wingate-Spence. “Caring for those with cognitive impairments associated with dementia is one of our niches at BrightStar Care and we are committed to offering quality training to our team members and the communities we serve on how to make meaningful connections with those individuals, helping them to be successful in completing everyday tasks and ultimately, live their best lives.”
According to Wingate-Spence, earning CDP certification perfectly aligns with her role at BrightStar Care. “Being granted CDP certification by the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners is an accomplishment that I take great pride in,” she remarks. “As a health care professional and as someone who has been a loved one to a person with dementia, helping others have more meaningful relationships with their patients, family members and friends in the face of memory loss and other cognitive impairments is something that I am truly passionate about. I am very fortunate that my position at BrightStar enables me to do that.”
For additional information about offerings of the Virtual Dementia Tour in your community or Alzheimer’s and dementia care provided by BrightStar Care, contact Wingate-Spence at 410-820-4200 or by e-mail at christina.wingate-spence@brightstarcare.com.
BrightStar Care provides home care services, making it possible for people to age in place and recover from illnesses and injuries at home. The organization specializes in caring for people with complex medical needs – pediatric through geriatric – including Alzheimer’s disease and various dementias, ALS, end-of-life support, paralysis, and many conditions requiring skilled nursing care including IV therapy and wound care. The BrightStar Care team offers both personal care provided by a home health aide or Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), and care for complex medical needs provided by a Registered Nurse (RN).
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