Senior Star at Weber Place Provides Training for Catholic Charities Senior Companion Program

Experts in providing care for those with Alzheimer’s offer Virtual Dementia Tour®

ROMEOVILLE, IL (February 20, 2014) – Senior Star at Weber Place, one of the state’s leading providers of Alzheimer’s and dementia care, has been asked by Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet to train participants in their Senior Companion Program, a service that provides friendly visits to homebound seniors.  The event will take place on February 28 from 9 a.m. to noon at Senior Star at Weber Place, 605 South Edward Drive in Romeoville.  More than 20 volunteers from the greater Joliet area will attend the training program.  

A major portion of the training includes the Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT)®.  The VDT® is registered through its creator Second Wind Dreams,® a not-for-profit organization that developed the product and created a train the trainer program.  Through this tool, the Senior Star at Weber Place team is educating caregivers, medical professionals, businesses, caseworkers and family members on the critical needs of those who are living with Alzheimer’s.  The result, patients affected with Alzheimer’s are in a better position to receive empathy and proper care, ultimately making life more comfortable as the disease progresses.

“It’s important that we provide as much training as possible for volunteers,” said Jennifer Wick, senior companion program manager at Catholic Charities.  “We are seeing a steady increase in the number of families our volunteers visit through our respite program.  They provide a break for family members who care for loved ones suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia, and it’s vital that they have as much understanding as possible of what it is like to have this disease.  We have heard great things about Senior Star’s education program, and are excited to offer our volunteers the knowledge and tools to have greater empathy and confidence when working with individuals who have dementia.”

Senior Star at Weber Place has been asked by many organizations and businesses to provide VDT® training due to their expertise in offering outstanding and compassionate memory care programs.  “We are thrilled to provide this training to the volunteer team at Catholic Charities,” said Michelle Franzak, executive director of Senor Star at Weber Place.  “It is nice to be recognized as not only caregivers but also educators, and we look forward to expanding this important role in the community.”

For more information about Senior Star at Weber Place or to request information on receiving VDT® training, please call 815.439.2033, visit the website at www.seniorstar.com., and/or like us on Facebook.

About Senior Star at Weber Place:

Senior Star at Weber Place, a Senior Star community, features 346 modernly decorated apartments spanning across 29 acres of beautifully landscaped property with many customized amenities to offer its residents in three distinctive living experiences:  independent living, assisted living and memory care.  For more information visit www.seniorstar.com.

###