Initial consultation by two Comfort Matters personnel to obtain baseline information about the organization for use in evaluating improvements. Takes one-two days and results in a written report to the organization.
On-site instruction by two Comfort Matters personnel who provide two eight-hour educational sessions using program materials designed especially for Comfort Matters. The courses are titled:
- Key Concepts in Dementia Care Education
- What Caregivers Need to Know about Comfort Care
- Comfort-Focused Approaches to Dementia-Related Behaviors
- Assessing and Addressing Pain in Persons with Dementia
- The Magic of Making Connections
Each course is described in “What Is Comfort Matters Dementia Care Education?” under the tab for Health Care Staff.
Note: Comfort Matters personnel are called consultants, except when they provide instruction.
Program materials for all courses contain content outlines, print resource materials, and self-checking exercises. Health care personnel use these materials for note-taking and for information about their progress in meeting course objectives. Materials for What Caregivers Need to Know are individualized by job roles–administrators, licensed nurses, spiritual care providers plus seven additional roles.
All staff are encouraged to participate in one of the eight-hour sessions. Individual copies of program materials are provided as part of the agreement for up to 50 staff. Additional copies are available for purchase.
Policies and procedures for comfort care are provided to the organization with the expectation that these will be adapted to the needs of the organization and be put into practice.
Additional on-site consultations by one Comfort Matters consultant will be arranged every six months during the two-year agreement.
Coach calls by a Comfort Matters consultant are made on a weekly basis to organization staff for the purpose of helping them work through their questions or concerns about embedding comfort care into practice.
Access to education sessions on the Comfort Matters website is available to the organization after the initial three months of the program.
Accreditation by Comfort Matters Dementia Care Education is available to health care organizations who choose to meet the required standards. (Standards are included under the tab, Accreditation.) Accreditation requires that organizations make adaptations in their systems so these focus on comfort and staff and medical care providers complete coursework and embed their learning into practice with persons with dementia. Accreditation may occur as early as 12 months after the program begins.
