Today, more than five million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease, and 220,000 of these live in the state of Illinois. As the Silver Tsunami continues to roar towards our shores, the need for comprehensive and evidence-informed clinical management for our patients with dementia is more vital than ever. Increasingly, individuals with cognitive impairments caused by dementia are coming into contact with a variety of professionals across all healthcare settings.

Due to the underpreparedness of our healthcare system in managing the complex needs of this patient population, the state of Illinois is requiring mandated training for all licensed healthcare professionals who see patients aged 26 or older. One hour of CE on dementia training is required each licensure renewal period effective January 1, 2023. This presentation serves as an introduction for physical therapy professionals on pathology, effective communication strategies, basic clinical care planning on dementia and the scope of practice of the physical therapy professional.

This course meets the 1 hour Alzheimer and Dementias training required by the State of Illinois.

The Dementia Training Mandate for Illinois healthcare professionals was signed into Law in the summer of 2021. For license or registration renewals occurring on or after January 1, 2023, all licensed healthcare professionals (as defined in Public Act 102-0399) in Illinois, who have direct patient interaction with adults age 26 and above will be required to complete at least a one-hour course in training on the diagnosis, treatment, and care of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias per renewal period. A health care professional may count this one hour for completion of this course towards meeting the minimum credit hours required for continuing education.  

What to expect: 

Objectives: 

By the end of this lecture participants will be able to:

• Appraise the prevalence of dementia in the population, including the most common types of dementia and underlying causes


• Communicate effectively and compassionately with individuals who have dementia, with sensitivity and in a way that is appropriate to the person


• Build a plan of care to address the physical therapy needs of patients with dementia

About the Speakers

Mitchelle Calderon, PT, DPT, CEEAA, GCS Born and raised in the Philippines, Mitchelle graduated from Silliman University in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy, and a Masters of Public Health in 2004. She migrated to the United States in 2005 and has practiced at Marshall Browning Hospital in Southern Illinois up to the present.  She mainly works in a hospital-based outpatient setting but has also worked in an inpatient and SNF setting.  She obtained her Certified Exercise Expert in Aging Adults (CEEAA) in 2009 and Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy (GCS) in 2011 and renewed in 2021. She completed her t-DPT in 2016 from A.T. Still University. Mitchelle has been an APTA, IPTA, and Geriatric Section member since 2010.  She is presently the Secretary of the IPTA Geriatrics Special Interest Group.  She lives in Du Quoin, Il with her husband, 12 y/o daughter, and 8 y/o son. Her goal as part of the Geri SIG executive committee is to work with the team to provide information and network with PTs, PTAs, and students whose passion is working with the older adults.

Heidi Moyer, PT, DPT, CEEAA, GCS (they/them) is a physical therapist located in San Angelo, Texas. They are the current chair of the IPTA Geriatrics Special Interest Group, the chair of APTA Geriatrics Balance and Falls Special Interest Group, and serve as an Assistant Clinical Professor at Angelo State University. Heidi’s professional background includes teaching entry-level DPT as well as continuing education; clinical experience in the inpatient rehabilitation, home health, outpatient, long-term acute care, and skilled nursing facility settings; and serving as the Program Director for the Evidence In Motion Geriatric Certification Program.

Sally Fisher, PT, DPT, NCCDP, GCS, CEEAA (she/her) is a physical therapist based in Bloomington, Illinois. As a National Council Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP), Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy (GCS) and a Certified Exercise Expert in Aging Adults (CEEAA), Sally has served as the Vice-Chair for the Illinois Physical Therapy Association Geriatric Special Interest Group (GeriSIG), since 2019. Sally has been an APTA member since 1996. With over 30 years experience including acute rehabilitation, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient, long-term care, and skilled nursing facility settings, Sally currently works in home care.

This program was originally recorded June 20, 2023.

You can even earn 1 hour of CE:  

1. Purchase the recording by visiting IPTA's Virtual Library . (FREE FOR IPTA MEMBERS / CE Subscribers - log in to ipta.org so it knows who you are!) Non-member cost is $30. You can earn 1-2 hours of CE, depending on the length of program.


2. Once your transaction is completed, you will receive an email with a link to download a document containing a link to the online recording AND a link to a quiz to complete after you view the recording.


3. Watch the recording and complete the quiz. If you score 80% or better, you will receive an email notification of your CE award.  If you are an IPTA member/ CE Subscriber, your CE award will also post in your membership profile under Professional Development. If you are not yet a member, an CE certificate will be emailed to you within 7-10 business days.