Springfield, Ore. (PRWEB) September 29, 2016 -- After more than 30 years of existence, the Validation Training Institute (VTI) recently launched its first fundraising and advocacy campaign. The “I Validate to Connect” campaign (#IValidate2Connect) will run from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 with the goal of raising awareness and $20,000 to support the expansion of the organization’s work.
The nonprofit—founded in 1984 by gerontologist Naomi Feil—promotes the use of the Validation Method, a communication practice developed by Feil that helps improve the connection between caregivers and older adults experiencing dementia. To date, individuals at more than 10,000 dementia care communities in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia practice Validation and more than 88,000 people have attended Validation workshops.
The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that every 66 seconds, someone develops Alzheimer’s disease. Approximately 39,273 people will develop Alzheimer’s disease between Sept. 15 and Oct. 15, 2016. If every one of those people has just one caregiver, the number of people impacted by Alzheimer’s disease during that month jumps to 78,546.
While the Validation Method isn’t a cure, it is a proven communication practice that helps improve the connection between caregivers and older adults experiencing cognitive decline. Stronger connection means less anxiety and stress; more trust and understanding, and improved quality of life for caregivers and older adults.
“While Validation is commonly practiced in other regions of the world, we felt it was time to focus our efforts on more deliberately sharing Validation in the U.S.,” said VTI Executive Director Vicki de Klerk-Rubin. “This campaign will help us do that. Caregivers everywhere need tools to best care for the rising number of older adults with dementia, and Validation can help.”
For more information on the campaign, visit vfvalidation.org/ivalidate
About the Validation Training Institute, Inc.
VTI is a United States-based, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1984 by social worker and gerontologist Naomi Feil, one of the originators of ‘person-centered care’ for older adults with various forms of dementia, also known as age-related cognitive decline or disorientation. VTI’s mission is to enrich the lives of older adults experiencing age-related cognitive decline and their caregivers through education and support services. The Validation Method has been featured in a variety of media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and CNN.
Dan Hiestand, Validation Training Institute, Inc., http://vfvalidation.org/ivalidate, +1 360-920-5473, [email protected]
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