Dementia Care Education in Cincinnati

Positive Approach® to Care (PAC) Certified Training for Professionals and Families

Assisting Hands of Cincinnati is dedicated to offering cutting edge Dementia / Alzheimer’s education for senior living staff, professionals, and family members. Attendees will learn practical techniques (Teepa Snow PAC – Positive Approach® to Care) when interacting with their client, resident or loved ones. This curriculum provides practical knowledge on how to approach day-to-day care, interactions and hands-on techniques to help those living with brain disease add life to their years.

Meet Our Dementia Care Education Program Trainers

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Kate Race
Assisting Hands Home Care Regional Director

Kate is Kentucky born and bred with 20 years’ experience in care for seniors and their families. Her grandfathers were her inspiration – when she was 17, she moved in with one of her grandfathers to be his caregiver while also supporting family members managing care for her other grandfather with dementia.

Understandably, dementia care and education are a personal passion, and she spent 13 years out of her 18-year career at Atria Summit Hills Senior Living running their Memory Care unit, where she managed a staff of 22.

Kate loves working with caregivers, clients, and family members to help facilitate the best possible relationship and the highest quality care. Her passion is not confined to the workplace – about a decade ago, she began volunteering with the Alzheimer’s Association. She currently enjoys running two of their support groups. Her goal is to use real-life experiences in her teaching and training so the content is relatable for students.

Kate’s mornings begin with a CrossFit workout and her days end enjoying the beautiful Bluegrass State. She also enjoys making handmade cards and gifts to share with family and friends.

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Jessica Poirier, RN
Assisting Hands Home Care Nurse Care Manager and Trainer

Jessica has a wealth of experience after spending 11 years working in hospice care, where she cared for the terminally ill in one-on-one situations, educated and supported families, and managed staff scheduling needs.

Jessica first became interested in dementia as a teenager, when her great-grandmother was living with her family. She couldn’t figure out why Nana would often think people were shining lights at her at night, the repetition of questions she’d ask, or why she didn’t recall Jessica’s name after knowing her for so many years.

As a registered nurse, Jessica has worked hand-in-hand with people at various stages of dementia.  It’s sparked quite a fascination within her, a burning desire to find better ways to help others. She hopes to offer concrete basics to her students, along with helpful hints to keep them on the right track as they navigate this road with those living with brain changes.

She is a Certified Independent PAC Trainer and presently works as a nurse care manager, where she supervises caregivers in the daily activities of their clients.  Jessica’s smile and compassion create a very inviting approach allowing her to give clients choices and control while maintaining dignity and allowing them to remain in their home environment.

In her free time, Jessica enjoys spending time with her family and many pets, cooking, singing, camping, and making memories.