Developing Expertise in Elder Care
Continuous training is an essential tool for improving the quality of care provided to elderly members of religious congregations, enabling them to respond more effectively to the needs of people living with cognitive impairment and the support needs of their communities. Advancing this goal is an integral part of The Anna Trust Foundation’s mission.
Throughout the year, we have launched many training initiatives aimed at strengthening the skills, knowledge, and collaborative abilities of all involved in elderly care and accompaniment pathways. Activities organized by Sr. Siobhán O'Keeffe, SS.HJM, The Anna Trust Cognitive Impairment Program Director, included four webinars addressing topics of particular relevance, Safeguarding for Senior Female Religious; Religious Life: Caring for the Past to Build the Future, The Psychological Impact of Dementia Care, and Supporting Communication in Dementia: The Speech Language Therapy Perspective.
Alongside these webinars, The Anna Trust Foundation’s CISI initiative promoted specialized training pathways in partnership with leading institutions in the fields of Gerontology, Neurology, and Elder Care.
Avila Institute of Gerontology Inc. – Germantown, NY
The Avila Institute of Gerontology Inc., the educational arm of the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm, provides education for health assistant and for caregivers. The Institute collaborated with The Anna Trust Foundation to deliver a Cognitive Health and Wellness Certificate. The course provided participants with foundational training in the care and accompaniment of members of religious communities living with cognitive impairment. The training combined theoretical content with practical applications through eleven educational modules, each including exercises designed to support participants in their understanding and application of their learning. The course was underpinned with a theological and spirituality foundation. Participants were offered opportunities for spiritual reflection, supporting them in integrating professional skills, human sensitivity, and Gospel values into their accompaniment of people living with cognitive impairment. At the end of the program, all participants who successfully completed the course received a certificate of participation, recognizing their commitment and the knowledge and skills that they had acquired.
Maria College – Albany, NY
Maria College, a private Catholic University in Albany, New York, committed to supporting student success through innovative teaching and experiential learning in the fields of healthcare and human services, will collaborate with The Anna Trust in the delivery of the Train of Trainers (ToT) Course beginning in September 2026. This program equips members of religious congregations to become trainers. Participants will gain technical skills to support members of their communities and enable them to train other sisters and lay collaborators in Best Practice Dementia Care.
Neurology Academy – Sheffield, England
The Neurology Academy, an innovative education provider for healthcare professionals, specialist nurses, and allied health professionals, hosted a consultant-led, seven-month professional training program for 22 sisters selected by The Anna Trust Foundation. The participants had a solid background in elder care and wished to further deepen their knowledge and expertise in professional dementia care.
The Anna Trust and CISI Seed Grants
These Seed Grants are offered to Sisters who have successfully completed both the foundational and advanced training pathways. They are to support training activities and the dissemination of knowledge and skills at the national level. Participants are enabled to organize and deliver training programs within their own countries and networks. Through these activities, more religious sisters will be able to acquire the knowledge and tools needed to accompany and support members of their congregations living with cognitive impairment. Through the provision of The Anna Trust and CISI Seed Grants, the Foundation seeks to foster an ever-growing network of trained religious sisters who can respond to the needs of sisters living with cognitive impairment and those of their care partners contributing to the development of a culture of care rooted in competence, dignity, and compassion.