Education & Training

South Carolina's state and private agencies entrust OSA to develop and deliver training to improve the quality of life of our aging residents.  OSA provides education and training in several areas including:

• Practical knowledge and tips to care for individuals with dementia
• Consumer direction for frail elderly and disabled
• Person-centered planning with frail elderly and individuals at the end of life
• Strength-based exercises for the frail elderly and disabled
• Recruitment and retention of direct care staff in residential care facilities (Pilot Phase)
• Elder mistreatment prevention training in residential facilities (In Development)

Education & Training Programs

Dementia Dialogues, a basic course for caregivers leading to a Dementia Specialist Certificate, has been offered in over 130 locations across the state of South Carolina including:

• Skilled nursing facilities
• Continuing care facilities with skilled nursing units
• Assisted living facilities
• Adult day care facilities
• Acute care hospitals
• Psychiatric hospitals
• High schools
• State agencies (DHEC, CLTC, DDSN)

Over 9,500 individuals representing all South Carolina counties have attended the training sessions. We have certified over 4,000 Dementia Specialists . Attendees of the training recommend that more families and staff attend Dementia Dialogues.

“Preparing Care Advisors for Consumer-Directed Care” is the training provided to Community Long Term Care staff implementing SC Choice, the community-based waiver program created to give more choice and control to frail elderly and disabled individuals desiring to stay at home. The training emphasizes person-centered planning. OSA developed and conducts the training for the state agency program.

Because person-centered planning has is origins in the developmentally disabled

population, OSA developed and provides person-centered planning training for consumer-directed care for the elderly and disabled.  This training is specific to the aging population who has led an independent life and is now in need of assistive services to remain in the home. The training emphasizes choice and control, providing those who provide services to the individuals with practical steps to empower and assist the aging population in maintaining their dignity and independence.

OSA has developed and provides the Placemat Strength Training Program, an exercise program designed to maintain or improve muscular strength to prevent function decline.

Recruitment and retention in long term care is becoming a major issue as individuals live longer while the direct care workforce gets smaller.  OSA is providing educational interventions for managers and supervisors to improve recruitment and retention of direct care staff in home- and community-based services.

In effort to improve quality of care and quality of life for nursing home residents, OSA is involved in developing an elder mistreatment prevention training for direct care staff and management in residential facilities.

OSA is also responsible for providing training for the Community Long Term Care Staff Training Conference.