Alzheimer's Disease / Dementia - Training

How AHCA classifies it

Florida classifies each deficiency under section 429.19, Florida Statutes: Class I (imminent danger), Class II (direct threat), Class III (indirect or potential threat) and Class IV (minor, paperwork-level). Class III is by far the most common.

Where it is cited

What the requirement says

AHCA’s requirement text as it appears on the inspection report, verbatim.

(4) Employees of covered providers must complete the following training for Alzheimer's disease and related forms of dementia: (a) Upon beginning employment, each employee must receive basic written information about interacting with persons who have Alzheimer's disease or related forms of dementia. (b) Within 30 days after beginning employment, each employee who provides personal care to or has regular contact with participants, patients, or residents must complete a 1-hour training program provided by the department. 1. The department shall provide training that is available online at no cost. The 1-hour training program shall contain information on understanding the basics about the most common forms of dementia, how to identify the signs and symptoms of dementia, and skills for communicating and interacting with persons with Alzheimer ' s disease or related forms of dementia. A record of the completion of the training program must be made available to the covered provider which identifies the training curricula, the name of the employee, and the date of completion. 2. A covered provider must maintain a record of the employee's completion of the training program and, upon written request of the employee, provide the employee with a copy of the record of completion consistent with the employer's written policies. 3. An employee who has completed the training required in this subsection is not required to repeat the program upon changing employment to a different covered provider. (c) Within 7 months after beginning employment for a home health agency, nurse registry, or companion or homemaker service provider, each employee who provides personal care must complete 2 hours of training in addition to the training required in paragraphs (a) and (b). The additional training must include, but is not limited to, behavior management, promoting the person ' s independence in activities of daily living, and skills in working with families and caregivers. (d) Within 7 months after beginning employment for a nursing home, an assisted living facility, an adult family-care home, or an adult day care center, each employee who provides personal care must complete 3 hours of training in addition to the training required in paragraphs (a) and (b). The additional training must include, but is not limited to, behavior management, promoting the person's independence in activities of daily living, skills in working with families and caregivers, group and individual activities, maintaining an appropriate environment, and ethical issues. (e) For an assisted living facility, adult family-care home, or adult day care center that advertises and provides, or is designated to provide, specialized care for persons with Alzheimer's disease or related forms of dementia, in addition to the training specified in paragraphs (a) and (b), employees must receive the following training: 1. Within 3 months after beginning employment, each employee who provides personal care to or has regular contact with the residents or participants must complete the additional 3 hours of training as provided in paragraph (d). 2. Within 6 months after beginning employment, each employee who provides personal care must complete an additional 4 hours of dementia-specific training. Such training must include, but is not limited to, understanding Alzheimer's disease and related forms of dementia, the stages of Alzheimer's disease, communication strategies, medical information, and stress management. 3. Thereafter, each employee who provides personal care must participate in at least 4 hours of continuing education each calendar year through contact hours, on-the-job training, or electronic learning technology. For this subparagraph, the term "on-the-job training" means a form of direct coaching in which a facility administrator or his or her designee instructs an employee who provides personal care with guidance, support, or hands-on experience to help develop and refine