Homewatch CareGivers of Longmont Now Offering Advanced Dementia Training Program for Caregivers
At Homewatch CareGivers of Longmont, we believe exceptional dementia care starts with understanding the person as more than just their condition.
That’s why we’re proud to offer caregivers the chance to participate in a new Certified Dementia Care Specialist Training program. This advanced training is designed to offer our caregivers a deeper understanding of Alzheimer’s and other dementias while also strengthening the practical day-to-day skills that support the compassionate dementia home care services we provide.
Led by Employee Coordinator Shauna Justice, the program was designed to help home caregivers create trust and build relationships with clients, reduce confusion and resistance to home care, and create calming, more supportive daily routines.
“This new training teaches our caregivers to meet clients where they are both cognitively and emotionally, so they’re able to create that trust and ease before even getting to the physical care aspect of things,” Shauna said.
What Makes This Training Different
Developed for the national Homewatch CareGivers franchise by leading dementia care experts, this certification course goes beyond a basic overview to build on our agency’s required full-day orientation and 12 hours of annual education. The curriculum consists of six hours of online learning, six hours of guided workbook practice, and three hours of small-group, in-person discussion, followed by a final presentation where caregivers apply what they have learned.
While this new training covers the practical, real-world skills caregivers use every day, it goes further by focusing on several key aspects of person-centered dementia home care, including:
- Techniques to enhance overall well-being for individuals living with dementia
- Understanding challenging behaviors as communication
- De-escalation strategies, including slowing down and redirection
- Recognizing sensory and cognitive changes that can create safety concerns
- The emotional and social aspects of living with dementia
Caregivers are eligible to participate in the program if they have spent at least one year with our organization, have demonstrated strong performance, and completed all our required basic caregiver training. Going forward, our goal is to train three to five caregivers per quarter, which would extend to 20% of our census by the end of the year. So far, six team members, including Shauna, have been certified in the new program.
Because dementia care can be complex and nuanced, outcomes tend to come down to how a caregiver responds to confusion, resistance, or fear in real time. That’s why this training emphasizes meeting clients where they are cognitively, while teaching caregivers about evidence-based techniques that reduce distress and build trust.
“This program gives our caregivers another tool to assist clients—not just practical skills, but a more thoughtful, human approach that adds even more compassion into care,” Shauna said. “It makes it easier for our team to assist clients with more complex dementia care needs.”
A Training Approach Based on Personal Experience
Shauna, who also leads our orientations and oversees online learning requirements for all our caregivers, said her goal as an instructor is to help our caregivers build confidence while strengthening their decision-making skills.
“I approach teaching with an open mind. It’s important to remember that not everyone is going to understand everything right away and that people learn differently,” Shauna said. “In orientation especially, I focus on guiding people and helping them understand how to make good decisions as they learn.”
Shauna’s teaching approach is informed by her professional expertise as well as personal experience with Alzheimer’s and dementia caregiving. Before entering home care, she studied to be a nurse and worked in medical administration at Denver Health. She also cared for family members with dementia, where she saw firsthand how small adjustments like establishing daily routines or redirecting conversations can reduce anxiety and challenging behaviors.
“My grandma was always on the go and would wander, so our adaptive technique was to take a walk with her every morning,” Shauna said. “My grandpa-in-law was always planning a trip to Germany, so we met him where he was and talked with him about his plans, instead of correcting him.”
These experiences inform how Shauna instructs our caregivers today. She makes sure our home caregivers feel prepared when they go out into the field, so they have the skills and knowledge they need to navigate challenging moments and provide home care that feels respectful and supportive.
A Compassionate, Evidence-Based Approach to Dementia Care
Our commitment to caregiver development is a top priority of our agency. Homewatch CareGivers of Longmont was recently recognized with the Activated Insights Leader in Training Award for 2026, securing our spot in the top tier of providers nationwide and reflecting our continued investment in caregiver training and quality home care. For the families we serve, that means more confident home caregivers and more personalized support for their loved one.
If you’re exploring dementia care for a loved one with more complex needs, we’re here to help your family find the right support. To learn how our advanced caregiver training directly enhances the dementia care services we provide, call Homewatch CareGivers of Longmont at (303) 444-1133 or contact us online. Our dedicated team is ready to step in and help.