Caring for Someone with Memory Loss?
The Savvy Caregiver® and Savvy Caregiver® Express are programs specially designed to benefit people caring for a family member or friend living with dementia by providing more understanding and tools to help navigate the journey.
The Savvy Caregiver®
FREE sessions will help you:
- Obtain a better understanding of Alzheimer’s & dementia
- Recognize & develop self-care strategies
- Identify resources that can help with managing care
- Learn how to address challenging behaviors & keep a manageable routine
- Learn from the comfort of your home.
Upcoming Savvy Caregiver® Classes
View the Calendar of Events for upcoming Savvy classes.
Register & More Information
To register or for more information, please call our Helpline, 844.435.7259 or email rsvp@alzla.org
About the Savvy Caregiver®
What would you think if we told you there is a program that has been proven* to reduce caregiver stress and increase caregiver skills and confidence? Well, there is such a thing and it is called the Savvy Caregiver. It is an evidence-based educational workshop, offered as a 2-hour class that meets for 6 weeks.
Because some caregivers cannot complete the full 6-week class, we also offer the Savvy Caregiver Express® workshop, a condensed version that meets for 3 weeks. While the 6-week workshop has the complete material and therefore provides a more in-depth education, the 3-week course provides the basic information to assist caregivers.
*Research has demonstrated significant positive outcomes for caregivers who participated in the Savvy Caregiver workshop versus those in the control group with respect to the caregivers’ beliefs about caregiving, their reactions to the behavioral symptoms of their care recipient, and their feelings of stress and burden (Ostwald et al., 1999; Hepburn et al., 2001).
An example of how the Savvy Caregiver® helped a caregiver
Irene N., whose husband has Alzheimer’s, said she is calmer now. “Because of the class, I learned not to yell at him when he makes a mistake or doesn’t follow my instructions.”
She shared that she was at a restaurant when she asked her husband to wait outside with their dog, but instead, he began walking home. Normally she would get angry and yell. But the class helped her to understand that it is not his fault and that yelling was useless and would only make things worse. So instead, she calmly had him get in the car and went home.
Savvy Caregiver® Express has been adapted by Alzheimer’s Los Angeles from the original Savvy Caregiver® program with permission from the University of Minnesota.
©2002-2022 University of Minnesota, Alzheimer’s Los Angeles, and Savvy Systems, LLC.