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Volunteers of America (VOA) became involved with the Validation Therapy approach several years ago. The Validation approach is a way to address and work with Alzheimer's residents in a compassionate and a person centered way.

Previously, when dealing with Alzheimer's disease, the method was to distract the person who was agitated, keeping the person very busy so they did not "call out." The disease, as it progresses, traps certain memories within the mind. That trapping can be of good things or can be of very horrific memories in the past.

The Validation approach teaches a family member, professional caregiver, or volunteer how to get into an issue of what the Alzheimer's resident is experiencing at the moment whether good or something very scary.  The purpose of understanding the fear, causing them to call or act out, is to understand that memory needs to be released. The person with Alzheimer's gets very frustrated in trying to explain it and too often caregivers don't have the skills to be able to get past that frustration.

Validation teaches techniques that allow the caregiver to understand what that concern is, and then they are able to address it. Unless the caregiver can understand what the pain is, and what tragedy is trapped inside, that caregiver is unable to provide support or reassurance because the underlying issue needs to be addressed.

Volunteers of America began to work with the Validation movement and became an authorized Validation organization over a year ago. This allows VOA, under the direction of the organization, to provide training to caregivers of all types.

VOA Vice President Wayne Olson said, "As an organization we have a goal, to provide this training to all of our facilities and services, and to also make it available to the community."

The organization has offered, in the past, community wide training with the founder of Validation Therapy in Montrose. They have hired trainers to teach the techniques and intend to make this training available for the community as well as to special interest groups.

People who are interested in this and the value of the Validation approach are everywhere, from professional caregivers and family members who have the person with Alzheimer's disease living with them or living somewhere else. Volunteers and others who befriend someone with the disease will also benefit from this training.

"Our goal is to spread the message about Validation Therapy," Olson said, "and provide training so that people with the disease can receive the care that they deserve."

Contact person is Craig Amerman at 970-290-6508.

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