Southington resident receives national dementia certification

SOUTHINGTON – Southington resident Jennifer McCaughey, MS, resource coordinator with Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging, was recently designated as a Certified Dementia Practitioner by the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners.

The goal of the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners is to develop and encourage comprehensive standards of excellence in direct-care skills, education and sensitivity in the area of dementia care. Certification indicates that the individual has extensive experience and has pursued continuing education, staying current with trends, regulations and new developments related to dementia.

McCaughey has been a resource coordinator at Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging in Vernon (35 Talcottville Road) since 2017, connecting seniors and caregivers with the most-appropriate resources and support systems to achieve the optimum quality of life. This includes free comprehensive assessments to determine the best level and type of care that may incorporate in-home assistance, medical alert technology, home modifications, state programs and veterans services.

“Often as a resource coordinator, I encounter individuals that are living with the disease as well as their families that are caring for them. This certification has helped me gain more insight on how to best approach, educate, and support individuals and families so they can achieve the best quality of life possible,” McCaughey said.

Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging has two locations in Southington: Hartford HealthCare HealthCenter, 462 Queen St., and The Hospital of Central Connecticut, Bradley Memorial campus, 81 Meriden Ave. There are additional Centers for Healthy Aging in Bloomfield, Hartford, Meriden, New Britain, Newington, Norwich and Willimantic. For more information about Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging, call toll-free 1.877.4AGING1/ 1.877.424.4641 or visit http://hhccenterforhealthyaging.org.

Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging, a not for profit member of Hartford HealthCare Senior Services, is a resource and assessment center designed to enhance access to services and information related to attaining optimal quality of life for seniors and their caregivers. For more information about Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging, visit http://hhccenterforhealthyaging.org.