Ammons Supports Bill Strengthening Dementia Training for Home Care Workers

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana, has passed legislation aimed at improving care for individuals living with dementia. The bill requires all service workers and affiliates of the Department of Human Services (DHS) to complete dementia training at the beginning of their employment.

“Between Carle, OSF and other healthcare providers in our community, we have some of the best healthcare workers supporting our neighbors, friends, and families,” said Ammons. “Our healthcare workers are highly trained and capable, and this training requirement ensures they have the tools necessary to aid and assist seniors and others in our district with memory difficulties.”

House Bill 4584 requires Home Services Program rehabilitation counselors and homemaker agency employees who provide direct care to participants to complete at least two hours of dementia training upon their hiring, and annually thereafter.

The training will cover key topics such as Alzheimer’s disease, dementia-related safety risks and effective communication strategies, as well as approaches for responding to behavioral challenges. Any similar existing training can be used to meet the new two hour minimum.

“Watching our loved ones experience memory loss is heartbreaking, but knowing the caretakers attending to them can be so reassuring,” said Ammons. “Working with patients with dementia, Alzheimer’s or any other memory issues is a heavy mental work load, and this much needed training will support them and their patients.”

House Bill 4584 passed the House unanimously and now heads to the Senate.