Let's Talk Senior Care

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Info about ABA, Gerontology, Dementia care, ID/DD, Clinical practice and SO much more!

11/10/2026

We offer GUIDED NOTES for each of our continuing education courses. You can download the PDF and keep forever 📒 Here's an example for our course, "Scrub-A-Dubb-Dubb: Shower Routines In Dementia -- First line and Fuction based Interventions"

🧠🧠🧠The first type of first line and function based intervention is PREVENTION [of challenging behaviors during the routine]. There are 3 main ways we try to do that:
🌟we anticipate the client's needs,
🌟 we tend to the physical environment [we also discuss why we have "environment" in quotes here], and
🌟we modify the tasks.

Want to know more about our course, check out
👉abilities.today/learn

11/09/2026

🦷💙 Happy Geriatric Tooth Fairy Day!

Today we celebrate Sonya Dunbar — “The Geriatric Tooth Fairy” — a passionate advocate for senior oral health and dignity in care.

Sonya reminds us that oral health is overall health, especially for older adults and those living with dementia. Simple daily care can prevent pain, infection, and improve quality of life.

Let’s honor her mission by bringing more smiles to senior care! 🌟

11/08/2026

🪔 Happy Diwali! 🪔

Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a time of celebration, hope, renewal, and the triumph of light over darkness. Celebrated by millions of people around the world, Diwali brings families and communities together through lights, decorations, food, music, and meaningful traditions.

As we celebrate, let's remember older adults living with dementia and the importance of including them in cultural and family traditions.

❤️ A few ways to make Diwali meaningful and dementia-friendly:
🪔 Use familiar decorations, music, and photographs to encourage recognition and positive memories.
🎶 Play traditional music or songs that the person has enjoyed throughout their life.
🍬 Offer familiar foods and treats, considering individual dietary needs and swallowing abilities.
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Encourage participation in simple activities, such as arranging decorations, looking at family photos, or helping with familiar traditions.
✨ Be mindful of sensory sensitivities. Bright lights, loud music, crowds, and changes in routine may be overwhelming for someone living with dementia.
❤️ Most importantly, focus on connection rather than perfection. A person living with dementia may not remember every detail of the celebration, but they can still experience joy, comfort, belonging, and meaningful moments.

This Diwali, let's make sure the light of inclusion shines on older adults of all abilities.

Wishing everyone a safe, joyful, and beautiful Diwali! 🪔

11/07/2026

🎓 FREE training for anyone supporting someone with IDD and dementia!

If you work with, support, or care for an adult with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) and dementia, you should know about the National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices (NTG).

The NTG offers a growing collection of education and training resources focused specifically on aging, intellectual disability, and dementia. 🧠💙

And there are FREE options!
✨ Free webinars on IDD and dementia
✨ Free on-demand educational resources
✨ Free ECHO education series with practical, case-based learning
✨ Resources for recognizing early changes and supporting dementia-capable care
✨ Training designed for professionals, direct support staff, caregivers, and other people supporting adults with IDD

The NTG’s goal is simple but incredibly important: help us become better equipped to support people with IDD as they age and potentially experience dementia.
For BCBAs working in gerontology, this is a resource worth bookmarking! 📚

Because if we are going to provide truly person-centered, dementia-capable care, we need to understand both IDD AND aging.

👉 Explore the NTG training and education resources:
www.the-ntg.org/training

11/06/2026

❄️⛄The holidays bring family, gatherings, and special moments — but they can also be challenging for loved ones living with dementia.

One of the biggest communication mistakes we make without realizing it is asking:
“Do you remember me?”
“Come on, you know who I am!”
“Do you remember when we…?”

These questions can create embarrassment, frustration, or even lead to arguments.

A more supportive approach is to remove the pressure to remember. Try:
💛 “Hi Grandma, it’s Sandy! It’s so good to see you.”
💛 “I remember when we used to bake cookies together every Christmas.”
💛 “I’m happy to be here with you today.”

This shifts the focus from memory tests to connection, warmth, and shared presence — which is what truly matters.

Let’s spread compassion this season and set our loved ones up for success. 💛✨

11/05/2026

Before going into , one of our BCBAs published research on FAs - - using a DVD as a training tool. WHO USES DVDs TODAY 😆🤣 If this research was done today, it may be "Evaluating the effectiveness of a YOUTUBE video!"

Here's that paper reference: Trahan, MA & Worsdell, AS (2011) Effectiveness of an instructional DVD in training college students to implement functional analyses. Behavior Interventions, 26(2), 85-105.

ABSTRACT: A functional analysis is a valuable assessment technique that requires a unique kind of precision on behalf of the therapist. However, there is a lack of empirically validated tools for training functional analysis skills. This study examined the effectiveness of an instructional DVD in training college students to perform five functional analysis conditions. During simulated sessions, participants acted as therapists, and observers measured the accuracy with which they implemented programmed antecedents and consequences. Results showed that the DVD was effective in improving all participants' accuracy above baseline levels; however, in order to meet the 90% performance criterion, all participants required feedback. These results suggest that an instructional video is a useful training tool in providing basic skills for conducting functional analyses. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

11/04/2026

🩺 It’s Check Your Blood Pressure Day!

High blood pressure affects nearly 70% of adults over 65—and for those with dementia, cardiovascular health impacts cognition, mood, and daily functioning.

For BCBAs working in senior care, this is a great reminder that behavior support can extend to health routines, too:
✅ Use task analysis to teach or prompt accurate BP checks.
✅ Create visual cues for when and how to take readings.
✅ Collect data on consistency and independence.
✅ Reinforce follow-through to make health habits stick.

💡 And here’s a pro tip: checking blood pressure before the busy holiday season gives us a baseline—so if stress, diet, or routine changes affect readings later, we’ll know.

11/03/2026

🧠 Interested in working with older adults as a behavior analyst? The Behavioral Gerontology Special Interest Group (BG SIG) has resources to help you get started!

Working with older adults requires specialized knowledge, thoughtful assessment, ethical decision-making, and an understanding of the diverse experiences of aging.

The BG SIG offers guidance for professionals interested in behavioral gerontology, including considerations for working with older adults, ethical practice, relevant training opportunities, and resources to build your knowledge.

Whether you're interested in dementia care, age-related behavioral changes, health promotion, or supporting older adults with disabilities, these resources can help you take the next step!

📚 Ready to get started? Explore the BG SIG's practitioner resources here:
https://bgsig.abainternational.org/members-page/practitioner-resources

Let's continue expanding the role of behavior analysis in improving the quality of life of older adults! ❤️

11/03/2026

🗳️ Election Day is a reminder that every voice matters!

Older adults, including those living with dementia, deserve to have their voices heard, their preferences respected, and their dignity protected.

A diagnosis of dementia does not automatically mean a person cannot participate in decisions about their life. With the right support, many people living with dementia can continue to express their opinions, make choices, and participate in their communities.

As we recognize Election Day, let's remember the importance of accessibility, inclusion, and respecting each person's right to be heard.

❤️ Every voice matters. Every person matters. Every stage of life deserves dignity and respect.

11/02/2026

For each of our continuing education courses, we have 3-5 objectives. Here's an example of one of our objectives in our CE course, "Ethics and Business Essentials of Starting Your Own Practice in Dementia Care"

🔎 #1: List 3 ethical dilemmas BCBA may face when expanding into dementia care, AND describe solutions to each.

👉👉👉www.abilities.today/learn

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353 S. Lewis Lane
Carbondale, IL
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http://www.abilities.today/learn

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