**AoA Older Americans Month 2008 Program Champion**

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**[Project]{.underline}**: Nevada Caregiver Support Center

**[Organization]{.underline}**: University of Nevada, Reno, Psychology
Department

**[Project Description]{.underline}**

The Nevada Caregiver Support Center (NCSC) provides education and
practical solutions to families and professionals caring for older
adults with dementia. The NCSC\'s mission is to prolong independent
living and home-based care while maximizing quality of life. Home-based
individual, family and group services are provided in Washoe County and
rural communities throughout northern Nevada.

In the most recent grant year, the program assisted almost 276 clients
and their families/caregivers with its services, which have now become a
nationally recognized and progressive model of care for managing
patients with dementia.

Evidence-based support services are provided to persons with early stage
dementia through individual and/or family coaching and referrals to
healthcare and social service agencies. "Coping with Changes" support
groups are available for high functioning clients. Instruction is
provided in behavioral activation and environmental and memory
prosthetics.

Services for late stage clients include support through coaching to
family caregivers in restraint free care, adapting principles of
behavioral activation, e.g. helping caregivers to identify and implement
pleasant activities for the care receiver. Caregivers are supported with
education for in-home modification and how to effectively simplify the
structure in the home for persons with dementia.

In 2008 there has been a significant increase in referrals to NCSC. A
program providing companions to socially isolated elderly clients with
memory disorders has been expanded. Seventeen undergraduate students at
UNR have been trained in effective methods of communicating with persons
with dementia. Working in teams of two, they are paired with elderly
clients. The students are closely supervised by staff of NCSC. NCSC
serves many caregivers with mental health issues, (e.g., anxiety,
depression, psychosis, traumatic brain injury).

Through the promotion of teaching healthy coping behaviors to
caregivers, prevention or reduction of stress related physical and
psychological problems is achieved. NCSC designs their support services
on evidence-based techniques to reduce or alleviate risk of elder abuse,
utilization of costly medical services and psychotropic medication for
stress-related problems, and reduced reliance on institutional care.
NCSC has been most successful in working with underserved communities in
rural Nevada. Reduced medical costs are associated with caregiving
emergencies due to skill deficits. While NCSC operates with a sliding
fee scale, no one is denied service due to lack of financial resources.

The Nevada Caregiver Support Center is truly a valuable resource for
Nevada caregivers and professionals as they help elder care receivers.

For more information visit <http://www.nevadacaregiver.org/> or contact
Jane Fisher, Ph.D. at

775-784-4335 or via e-mail <fisher@unr.edu>