L to R: Paine Senior Services Director Elizabeth Aguilo and SCES Social Worker Nathaniel Myer.

By Nathan Lamb

Registration is now open for Savvy Caregiver, a free training program that provides family caregivers with skills and knowledge about dementia.

Offered through a partnership of Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES), Mount Auburn Hospital, and Paine Senior Services, Savvy Caregiver emphasizes practical training that helps family caregivers navigate challenges of dementia.

The curriculum includes an overview of dementia and its various stages, along with how its progression can impact daily life. The training includes a lecture component, but it also highly interactive, with a focus on developing practical tools and strategies that fit the participant’s needs.

The class will be led by longtime SCES Social Worker Nathaniel Myer and Paine Senior Services Director Elizabeth Aguilo.

The six-session class will meet on Fridays from 1:30-4 p.m., starting Oct. 8, 2021. The classes are held at Mount Auburn Healthcare – Waltham, 355 Waverley Oaks Road in Waltham.

Savvy Caregiver is open to a limited number of participants, allowing the caregivers to work closely with the facilitators. Subsidized respite options are available to some caregivers. The class is open to residents of Cambridge, Somerville, Waltham, and the surrounding communities.

For more information about Savvy Caregiver or to register call 617-628-2601 extension 3123 or email Nathaniel.Meyer@eldercare.org.

Somerville-Cambridge Elder Services (SCES) is a non-profit agency that supports the independence and well-being of older adults in Somerville and Cambridge. For free advice and guidance on questions of aging, caregiving or disability, contact our Aging Information Center at 617-628-2601, email info@eldercare.org, or visit our website eldercare.org.