SHARE for Dementia

The first step in post-diagnosis dementia care

SHARE for Dementia fills an important gap in dementia care by engaging individuals recently diagnosed with dementia in creating a realistic, positive path forward and giving them a real voice in their future care.

SHARE is a five-session, dyadic intervention that engages both the person with early- or moderate-stage dementia and their care partner in guided discussions about the disease and its symptoms, personal values, care preferences and priorities, activities and hobbies. These dialogues then serve as the foundation of a personalized care plan that’s developed over the course of weekly meetings.  

Trained SHARE Counselors empower individuals with dementia to participate in making decisions about how to best handle their daily activities should the time come that they need assistance with managing finances, food shopping and preparation, personal hygiene or other tasks. At the same time, participants are encouraged to identify the social activities and interests that are important to them, and Counselors build those priorities into long-term planning, as well.     

Organizations can license and deliver the SHARE Program

Professional organizations including health systems, physicians and diagnostic centers, community-based organizations and Area Agencies on Aging, can license the SHARE program and deliver it to clients. 

Individuals within an organization will be trained to become SHARE Counselors.  Training includes 10 hours of interactive, self-paced online coursework which prepares them to fully understand the objectives of each session, as well as strategies and techniques for delivering the program

Introducing the New Online Platform for Remote Delivery & Family Interaction

The SHARE program has been completely updated to offer a much-enhanced delivery experience. An all-new, user-friendly online platform guides Counselors through program delivery with bold, engaging graphics, lively participant interaction, and remote delivery capability. 

The intuitive new online platform allows families to participate in the program from the comfort of their homes using any device, making the program accessible to a greater number of people, including those in rural and remote geographies.  

SHARE Counselors can utilize any online meeting platform to share visuals of the unique tools embedded in the SHARE program in real-time with participants.

The new online platform also streamlines the client management process for SHARE Counselors, keeping all demographic data, meeting outcomes, care plans and notes in one easy-to-find place.

SHARE fills a gap in post-diagnostic care

Physicians and aging professionals have struggled over the years to find resources and services that address care for individuals that have recently been diagnosed with dementia and their families. SHARE was designed to fill this void by providing tools to address sensitive topics during what can certainly be an overwhelming and stressful experience.  With SHARE, health providers have an immediate resource for families upon hearing the words “you have dementia.”

SHARE is backed by 20 years of research which indicates that individuals in the early to moderate stages of dementia benefit from an intervention that:

• Expands understanding of available resources and support services
• Nurtures self-care practices and maintenance of positive health behaviors
• Empowers active participation in care planning
• Strengthens family communication with positive, constructive strategies