Working with Older Adults Living with Dementia in Clinical Practice

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Target Audience: Psychologists

Instructional Level: Introductory

CE Course Description

Working with older adults living with dementia presents psychologists with clinical challenges that extend beyond the assessment of memory loss. Changes in cognition may affect executive functioning, language, attention, visuospatial abilities, judgment, emotional functioning, behavior, communication, and the ability to complete everyday activities. Psychologists must also distinguish symptoms associated with neurocognitive disorders from conditions such as delirium and depression, recognize behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, and understand when additional medical, neurological, or neuropsychological evaluation is appropriate. This course provides psychologists with an evidence-based overview of major and mild neurocognitive disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, frontotemporal dementia (behavioral and language variants, including young-onset presentations), mild cognitive impairment, cognitive assessment, differential diagnosis, and the progression of cognitive and functional changes. It will also focus on the practical application of psychological knowledge when working with people who have cognitive impairment. Participants will examine behavioral and psychological symptoms such as agitation, aggression, apathy, anxiety, and psychosis, with attention to possible environmental, interpersonal, medical, and communication-related contributors. We will address nonpharmacological behavioral interventions, modifications to psychotherapy, supportive approaches, communication strategies, caregiver education and support, and interventions that emphasize functioning, meaningful engagement, emotional well-being, and quality of life. The role of interdisciplinary collaboration and coordination with medical providers, neuropsychologists, social workers, rehabilitation professionals, long-term care providers, home health services, and community resources will also be considered. Ethical and culturally responsive practice will be integrated throughout the course. Participants will examine informed consent, decision-making capacity, autonomy, confidentiality, surrogate decision-making, family involvement, elder abuse reporting duties, risk assessment (including driving, firearms, wandering, financial exploitation, and suicide risk), and considerations associated with advanced dementia and end-of-life care. Particular attention will be given to avoiding assumptions that a diagnosis of dementia automatically eliminates an individual's ability to participate in decisions. The course will also examine cultural understandings of cognitive decline, limitations of cognitive screening across culturally and linguistically diverse populations, health disparities, ageism, stigma, and barriers to specialty dementia care. Together, these topics are intended to strengthen psychologists' ability to provide ethical, person-centered, culturally responsive, and evidence-informed services to older adults living with dementia and the families and systems involved in their care.

Courseware Supervisor: Ryan C. Warner, Ph.D., CRC

Author: Jay Trambadia, Psy.D.

CE Course Objectives

1. Differentiate the clinical features of Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, and frontotemporal dementia.
2. Distinguish dementia and mild cognitive impairment from delirium and depression.
3. Identify the uses and limitations of cognitive screening and neuropsychological assessment.
4. Identify medical, environmental, interpersonal, and communication-related contributors to behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia.
5. Apply nonpharmacological interventions and psychotherapy adaptations for people with cognitive impairment.
6. Analyze ethical issues related to decision-making capacity, informed consent, surrogate decision-making, and confidentiality in dementia care.
7. Describe strategies for addressing caregiver burden and coordinating interdisciplinary dementia care.
8. Evaluate how culture, language, education, ageism, and health disparities affect dementia assessment and access to care.

Course Date: 2026-11-13

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