About Us
Our Story
Dementia Care Alliance of WI carries forward work that started with the Alzheimer's and Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin (ADAW), a longtime Madison-based nonprofit that closed its doors in 2023. That closure left a real gap across Dane County and southern Wisconsin: families getting a dementia diagnosis with nowhere local to turn for guidance, education, or support.
We started Dementia Care Alliance to rebuild that support, informed by years of firsthand experience in this community.
Our Team
Karen Wheelock has worked in the senior care field in various capacities since 2012. She has three national certifications in dementia care, including one as a trainer. Her person-centered approach has helped her in de-escalating dementia-related behavioral situations, engage at a deeper level with people living with dementia, and effectively plan future care. Her passion for her work comes from her mom, who had Alzheimer’s for 8 years.
What We Do
Education. Wisconsin doesn't currently require staff at memory care or long-term care facilities to complete dementia-specific training, a gap that contributes to high staff turnover and directly affects residents and families. We provide dementia education and hands-on training for professional caregivers, and offer guidance to families evaluating care options, along with community education for anyone who wants to better understand dementia.
Caregiver coaching. One-on-one guidance for families navigating challenges in caring for their loved one living with dementia.
Support groups. Coming soon: in-person and/or virtual groups for caregivers, and potentially a group for people who have been diagnosed themselves and want to process that with others who understand. We also support people through the ongoing grief that comes with dementia, as they recognize the loss of abilities they or their loved one are experiencing. We stay connected to caregivers even after their loved one transitions into long term care, when many other resources no longer consider them a "caregiver."
Looking Ahead
We're building a community advisory board, particularly with members of marginalized communities, so our programs are shaped by what people actually need rather than assumptions about what they need.
Our Values
We believe cost shouldn't stand between a family and the support they need. We work hard to keep our services free or accessible, and to find funding solutions for families who can't otherwise afford care.
Professional Training Menu of Services
Workshops
Choose from a variety of topics for classes for your staff, including (but not limited to): Dementia Basics, Communication and Approach, Behavioral Situations and De-escalation, and Personalized Care and Engagement. Topics can stand alone and be in-depth, or combined for a more high level class.
Coaching
With this option, we will provide hands-on training with staff and actual residents and situations. We will observe current tactics that staff use and demonstrate how to improve them. We will work with you on identifying effective interventions for specific residents.
Consultations
This option involves having us meet with facility management to discuss and provide tools they can implement, as well as physical changes that can be made to the environment to better serve their residents and staff (from minor changes to renovations).
Take Away Option
For any of the these services. This can include personalized videos and handouts, online quizzes, and check-ins with management and staff. We want to ensure that the information we share has a lasting effect.
Community Education Menu of Services
Choose from a variety of presentation topics for your community group, including: Dementia Basics, Communication, Behavioral Situations and De-escalation, Caregiver Resiliency, and Considering Memory Care Facility Support. Topics can be stand-alone and in-depth, or combined for a more high level presentation. Each presentation is about an hour long.
Presentations
We can tailor the presentations and resources to your community group’s unique needs and wants.
This can include considerations of the type of organization you have, specific questions that members have asked ahead of time, etc.
Personalized Information
We are here to help! If members of your group are seeking more support, we are more than happy to provide resources and follow up with them after the presentation.
Support
It was an amazing presentation! Karen was very prepared and asked in advance if there is anything the host would like to include. She is knowledgeable and relates well to her audiences.
- Sharon Ketterhagen,
Delavan UCC Congregational