Heidi Bonnat advocates for dementia training for California home care aides

In a poignant moment during the Assembly Human Services Committee meeting, Heidi Bonnat, a volunteer advocate with the Alzheimer's Association, shared her deeply personal experience as a caregiver for her late husband, Rich, who battled young-onset Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia. Her testimony highlighted the critical need for improved training among home care aides, a call to action that resonated throughout the room.

Bonnat recounted the challenges she faced while caring for Rich over seven years, emphasizing the emotional toll of leaving him in the care of aides who often lacked the necessary understanding of dementia. She described a distressing incident where an aide failed to attend to Rich’s basic needs, leaving him in soiled clothing while she remained disengaged, absorbed in her phone. This stark contrast to another aide who provided compassionate care underscored the variability in the quality of home care services.

With a binder of notes prepared to guide aides in understanding Rich’s specific needs, Bonnat expressed her frustration at the lack of consistent training in dementia care. “As a family caregiver, I would have had greater peace of mind if I’d known there was some level of consistent baseline training about Alzheimer’s and dementia caregiving among home care aides,” she stated, urging the committee to support Senate Bill 412. This legislation aims to ensure that home care aides receive essential training in dementia care, a step Bonnat believes is crucial for families navigating similar challenges.

The meeting served as a platform for advocates like Bonnat to voice their concerns and push for legislative changes that could significantly impact the quality of care for individuals with dementia and their families. As the committee deliberates on this important issue, the stories shared by caregivers highlight the urgent need for systemic improvements in home care services across California.