100 Sessions and 5,000 Memory Care Staff Trained

The Dementia Care and Education Campus recently celebrated an exciting milestone: our 100th session of the DHS Initial Dementia Training for memory care staff. Since launching the program in August 2025, our team has provided the state-required eight-hour initial dementia training to nearly 5,000 memory care staff across Arizona.

These participants represent every part of the memory care team — from caregivers and nurses to dining, housekeeping, activities and other employees who interact with and support people living with dementia. Hospice of the Valley is proud to offer these sessions at no cost, saving facilities hundreds to thousands of dollars in training expenses.

“From the beginning, our goal has been to make this training about much more than meeting a requirement. We want participants to understand how changes in the brain affect a resident's abilities, communication and behavior,” said Dementia Education and Partnerships Director Rebekah Wilson.

More importantly, these sessions teach practical skills that can be used in everyday interactions with residents. “Throughout the training, we return to a central idea of comfort and living well with dementia,” she said. “By helping memory care staff understand what creates whole-person comfort for someone living with dementia, we can promote greater dignity, connection and quality of life.”

The work continues beyond the initial eight-hour curriculum. In July, the team also rolled out the four-hour Annual Dementia Training, reaching nearly 1,100 individuals through 25 sessions to date. The annual course is also required by the Arizona Department of Health Services. It reinforces foundational skills, builds on what staff have already learned and helps them continue developing their ability to provide skilled, person-centered dementia care. Additionally, these trainings have deepened partnerships between Hospice of the Valley and memory care providers across the state.

“Reaching the 100-session milestone is worth celebrating. With that said, the number that matters most is the one person living with dementia standing in front of a caregiver who now has a better understanding of what that person may be experiencing,” Rebekah said. “Our goal is to equip these caregivers with a few more tools for helping their residents feel safe, comfortable and valued.”