Michigan area agencies revamp and sustain a three‑part dementia caregiving webinar with train‑the‑trainer model

Martha York, community education coordinator at WellWISE Services Area Agency on Aging in Michigan, described how Michigan area agencies on aging partnered with the state unit on aging to update and sustain a condensed three‑part dementia caregiving webinar series.

York said the original ACL grant work (2016–2020, with a one‑year no‑cost extension) funded multiple activities including caregiver consultation protocols and the in‑person ‘‘Savvy Caregiver’’ program. To improve access, Michigan developed a three‑part evidence‑informed webinar series (later renamed the "dementia caregiving series") that delivers content in 1.5‑hour sessions weekly and can include a 30‑minute question‑and‑answer period.

The revised slide decks and facilitator notes drew on materials developed by the Administration for Community Living, the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; York said the final decks were posted on ACL's NADRC website. The state unit on aging stepped back from ongoing updates and area agencies on aging took responsibility for piloting the revised series, collecting feedback using a 10‑question evaluation and creating a train‑the‑trainer session to maintain delivery fidelity across agencies.

York highlighted practical adaptations to support sustainability: improved slide design and ADA/508 compliance, detailed facilitation notes for consistent delivery, co‑branded promotional flyers used quarterly across 16 area agencies, shared social media and press templates, and translation/adaptation work for Hispanic and Asian populations. The area agencies leveraged Title III funding lines for caregiver supports and education and have been working on reporting changes for fiscal year 2025.

In pilot evaluation results York reported strong self‑reported gains among attendees: "96 percent of attendees said that they felt more informed about the impact of dementia on the brain," she said; other reported outcomes included 89% learning better communication skills, 81% feeling more confident overall as caregivers, 83% reporting new self‑care skills, 92% saying facilitators encouraged them to try new skills, and 100% saying the content was easy to understand. York did not provide the total number of respondents during the presentation.

York said the train‑the‑trainer model and co‑branding allow area agencies to deliver the series regularly with minimal licensing requirements: "Because it is such an easy program to deliver and you only need one person and they don't have to go through any special licensing, it was very efficient for staff time to reproduce this and to do it regularly," she said.

The Michigan model emphasizes flexible delivery (virtual and in‑person), shared marketing and data collection to reach rural participants and to increase access for caregivers who face travel or respite barriers. York encouraged other agencies to contact her about the Michigan manual and adaptations.

York noted that updating the program took longer than anticipated due to permissions for content and written agreements between content stakeholders (including an institute named in the presentation); area agencies considered the delay worthwhile to ensure accessibility, fidelity, and buy‑in across partners.

The webinar materials are available on the NADRC site (nadrc.acl.gov) and York offered to discuss the train‑the‑trainer manual with interested parties in Michigan and beyond.