Social Work and Other Professionals
The KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center offers extensive professional training for social workers and other healthcare professionals along with community education programming.
It takes a complete healthcare village to navigate the changes created by Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. With professional social workers on staff and extensive training programs, the KU ADRC helps you help others.
Social Work and Other Professional Training
The KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center provides a number of training opportunities for social workers and other healthcare professionals, including internships and classes for those interested in becoming a navigator with the Cognitive Care Network. We offer a variety of educational courses - read more about each opportunity below or download our Educational Calendar for future reference!
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION CALENDAR
Families, friends, and caregivers interested in attending may contact Jan Horn at jhorn2@kumc.edu or 913-703-7743 to register.
The Dementia Intensive is a one-day session designed for social workers and social work students who are just beginning to work with dementia patients and caregivers. The first part of the Dementia Intensive event provides an overview of dementia and covers understanding memory and impact through social work assessment, and incorporating a client empowerment model. Participants also gain insight from listening to a panel discussion featuring caregivers. The second part of the Dementia Intensive features a panel of individuals living with early-stage dementia, along with a conversation focusing on individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and those with persistent mental health challenges who develop a dementia. The session concludes with a “Full Practice” review on making a difference.
Date: Coming soon
Time: 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: Virtual
Date: October 11, 2025
Time: 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Format: Virtual Webinar
Cost: Free; however, preregistration is required.
Who Should Attend: Health care professionals and providers, families, friends, and community members.
The documentary, SPARK: Robin Williams and His Battle with Lewy Body Dementia, will be included in this education program on recognizing, living with, and supporting others who have Lewy Body Dementia.
Registration is open 7/28/25 - 10/11/25
Healthcare professionals register here
For more information, contact Kelly G. Loeb at kglmsw@kumc.edu.
Managing Alzheimer’s Risk in Individuals with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities
This education program is geared toward families and staff members that support someone with an Intellectual and/or developmental disability. We will explore risk factors, ways to monitor for cognitive changes, and ways to provide support.
Date: On Demand
For more information contact Kelly G. Loeb at kglmsw@kumc.edu.
The Managing Dementia Course shares best practices in screening, diagnosing, and treating various dementias. For primary health care providers and professionals, discussing up-to-date diagnostic and management information. This is a virtual course.
Who Should Attend: Caregivers and direct care providers
Benefit: Receive a tremendous amount of useful information in short, topic-specific sessions throughout a single day
Demands on caregivers can be intense. The Dementia Training Room allows busy caregivers to quickly access a wide variety of information on topics as varied as:
- oral care,
- managing meals,
- the art of redirection,
- communication strategies,
- reducing stress,
- improving sleep,
- the disease process in the Alzheimer’s brain
- and the fundamentals of palliative care.
For more information contact Kelly G. Loeb at kglmsw@kumc.edu.