Caregiver Trainings | The Nature Connection

You can build a bridge to elders with memory loss.

The Nature Connection offers Caregiver Training Programs to empower professional and family caregivers to incorporate nature and sensory-based activities into the lives of those with Alzheimer’s/dementia. Learn to bring nature’s healing power indoors, practice nature interventions for all stages and types of dementia, and leave with activity cards and tips for creating future therapeutic activities. See below for upcoming Caregiver Training dates.

What you will learn:

Therapeutic techniques for connecting with elders, through mindful presence
Experience with connecting elders safely, and dynamically, with the
natural world
Using sensory and natural materials to build new connections between a caregiver and a resident or relative
Giving staff tools and techniques to increase hands-on engagement
Expanding awareness of the interconnectedness of all life
Increasing peer-to-peer, and resident/client-to-caregiver connections
Providing new and different types of sensory activity

Professional caregivers will receive a certificate of training.

Feedback from our trainees:

“A lot [of our elder residents] don’t have opportunities to get outside and experience nature as they’d like to … bringing it inside, having that interaction one-on-one [was inspiring]. I’d like my staff to see this first-hand.” — Joan Yutkins, Program Coordinator Cooperative Elder Services, Burlington
“I loved the different/easy ways to get residents with dementia connected with nature! Very multisensory!” — Daria Rabkin, Memory Care Director, Brightview Concord River
“I feel that I now have more knowledge of how to incorporate nature into programming. I loved the hands-on work and being able to practice with a partner.” — Caitlin Jones, Activities Coordinator, Cambridge Elder Service Plan/Cambridge Health Alliance
“Great amount of information. Practicing it makes it very easy to learn.” — Linda Zaremba, Reflections Director, Residence Riverbend