Dementia Beyond the Textbook™: What Families and Care Teams Need After the Diagnosis
A free 90-minute live Zoom session for family caregivers, professional caregivers, CNAs, and nurses, with Dr. Claire Leegard, DNP, RN, Certified Alzheimer Educator.
Event Details
Date: Saturday, January 30, 2027
Time: 10:00–11:30 AM Central Time
Where: Live on Zoom (link emailed after registration)
Cost: Free
Includes: Live Q&A, a STAMP Protocol™ pocket card, a home safety checklist, a resource guide, and a Certificate of Completion (non-credit)
Description
The diagnosis is where the textbook ends and real life begins. Suddenly there are new questions every day: Why is Mom asking to "go home" when she is home? How do I keep Dad safe without taking away his independence? What's the difference between home care, home health, and hospice, and who pays for what? And how do I take care of myself while I'm caring for someone I love?
In this warm, practical 90-minute session, Dr. Claire Leegard shares what she has learned as a nurse, educator, and home care owner who walks alongside families living with dementia every day. You'll learn The STAMP Protocol™, a simple five-step way to respond in the moment when someone is distressed, and the LEADERS Framework™, a lens for understanding what behaviors are really telling us. Families and professional care teams learn side by side, because people living with dementia do best when everyone shares one approach.
You'll leave with practical tools, trusted resources, and more confidence for the days ahead.
What You'll Learn
By the end of this session, you'll be able to:
- Understand the most common types of dementia and what to expect in the early, middle, and late stages
- Use communication techniques that reduce distress and protect dignity
- Respond calmly to agitation, confusion, and "I want to go home" moments with The STAMP Protocol™
- Make the home safer and help prevent falls and wandering
- Recognize caregiver stress and choose one realistic self-care step
- Know the difference between home care, home health, and hospice, and where to call for help, including the Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline
Who Should Attend
- Family caregivers: spouses, adult children, and loved ones after a recent or established diagnosis
- Professional caregivers and home care teams
- Certified nursing assistants (CNAs)
- Nurses in home care, home health, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and hospital settings
About Your Presenter
Dr. Claire Leegard, DNP, RN, Certified Alzheimer Educator, is the founder and president of The Leegard Institute for Education and Leadership, a division of LEN Care LLC, and an Illinois-approved Nurse Continuing Education Sponsor. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Nursing Leadership and Education from Capella University and serves as a visiting professor at Chamberlain University. Her clinical background includes psychiatric nursing at Streamwood Behavioral Healthcare, and as owner of Home Helpers Home Care of Wheaton & Naperville she supports families living with dementia every day. Claire created The Leegard Model™, which pairs the LEADERS Framework™ and The STAMP Protocol™ to help families and clinicians respond to dementia with insight and compassion.
Credit Note (small print)
This complimentary pilot is non-credit continuing education. No CE contact hours are awarded. Participants who attend and complete the post-session quiz and evaluation receive a Certificate of Completion. This program is educational and is not a substitute for individual medical advice.
FAQ
Do I need Zoom? Zoom works on a computer, tablet, or phone. Your link arrives by email after you register.
Can my whole care team attend? Yes. Each person should register so they receive their own link and certificate.
Need help now? The Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline is free, day or night: 800-272-3900.