Kokoro 2.0 | Dementia
Dementia is not a disease, but a cluster of conditions that impact brain functions like thinking, memory, judgement, and more. It is not a part of normal aging, and it is not easy. So, Kokoro - our flagship program that promotes a safe space for caregivers to learn more, share their experiences, and advance research in dementia.

About
Are things like memory loss, depression, or mood changes a part of progressing life? How common are disorders of age like dementia and Alzheimer's? What are the early signs of dementia? If you are someone who is experiencing symptoms that seem to be dementia, or a caregiver who is feeling overwhelmed, or simply seeking answers to such questions, then the Dementia Kokoro is for you. We try to answer all the above questions and more in a series of recorded sessions, with the hope of building a community and further understanding of the disease.
The Aim



What you can learn
Introduction to Dementia
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Understand what happens to a person when they have dementia, in terms of deficits in functionality, memory, motor function, and behavior.
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Contrast age-related changes with dementia-related changes.
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Know what the different types of dementia are and understand the similarities and differences between them. Included: Lewy body dementia, vascular dementia, frontotemporal dementia, & Alzheimer's Disease.
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Know the biological basis of 3-4 key symptoms that dementia patients and caregivers experience, such as difficulties in communication and challenging behaviors.
Understanding disease progression
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Know the different stages of dementia and understand how the disease progresses.
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Know the biological changes that occur that make it a progressive disease.
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Recognize that the effects of dementia will be life-long.
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Know what support resources are available for dementia patients.
Understanding Caregiver Experiences
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Reflect on their identities as caregivers and the stigma associated with it.
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Reflect on their current support systems.
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Apply their knowledge about the stages of the disease to their own patient.
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Begin the process of accepting that the effects of dementia will be life-long.
Activities of Daily Living
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Know what Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) are, which self-care activities fall under it, and which ADLs are affected by dementia.
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Recognize when the patient is not able to handle an ADL themselves.
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Understand how ADL management and general home environment affects disease progression. Simple home modifications and task simplification that can be reinforced to optimise independence in ADL performance.
ADL Management and Patience Building
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Be able to appropriately manage certain ADLs, such as eating, sleeping, bathing.
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Be able to develop more patience while dealing with the patient.
Self-care as a Caregiver
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Know what caregiver burnout is and determine whether they are experiencing it.
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Understand the importance of (caregiver) self-care for the patient and caregiver.
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Be able to create a self-care routine for themselves.
Making difficult decisions
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Recognize when they require external assistance.
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Understand the costs and benefits of utilizing different types of assistance.
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Be able to make an informed decision about whether to switch to a dementia care home or not.
Research on Dementia
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Know about the latest research on dementia.
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Understand some of the new findings around how dementia functions (early diagnosis and prognosis related, not treatment).
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Feel hopeful that we will continue to get a better understanding of the disorder, while not having an unrealistic expectation about finding a cure.
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Understand the objectives of the BIRAC study and show interest in participating.