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Browse PlansTeepa Snow
MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Teepa Snow is an advocate for those living with dementia and has made it her personal mission to help families and professionals better understand how it feels to be living with such challenges and seeks to change and improve life for everyone involved. Her practice has included everything from neuro-intensive care units in tertiary hospitals to in-home end-of-life care in rural parts of North Carolina. She has taught at medical schools and post-doctoral programs, health professional programs, colleges and universities, community colleges, and community centers. She led educational and training efforts as the Educational Director of the Eastern NC Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association for many years and was a major contributor and author of the in-depth hands on training delivered to family members and staff that led to the production of the DVD Accepting the Challenge: Providing the Best Care for People with Dementia, an internationally recognized resource for training and understanding dementia.
As one of America's leading educators on dementia, Teepa has developed a dementia care philosophy reflective of her education, work experience, medical research, and first hand caregiving experiences. She is a graduate of Duke University, and received her MS degree from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. As an Occupational Therapist with over 30 years of experience in geriatrics, she has worked as the OT Director in a head injury facility, a clinical specialist in geriatrics for a Veteran's Administration Medical Center, and a Restorative Care Coordinator for a long term care facility. Her hands on caregiving experiences include providing direct care in home health, assisted living, long term care, and rehabilitation settings. Teepa also served as the Director of Education and Lead Trainer for the Eastern N.C. Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, and as a clinical associate professor at UNC's School of Medicine, Program on Aging.
She has served as an interdisciplinary team member and helped develop and conduct clinical research with leading researchers in dementia and geriatric care. Through opportunities she has had, she has learned from people living with various forms of dementia including: head injuries, stroke, autism, down syndrome, and many other neurological and chronic health conditions. Teepa has become committed to building a program of support and care that provides a just right match between what the person needs and is able to do, and the environment and care partnering that can provide it.
This wealth of experience and knowledge led to her development of a Positive Approach to Care for those living with dementia or other brain changes. Teepa's teaching style integrates facts about the brain and what happens to someone when doing, thinking, reasoning or processing becomes different or difficult.
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Courses with Teepa Snow
Browse Course CatalogDementia Care: Using the GEMS States Model for Personal Care Tasks
Presented by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Dementia Care: Using the GEMS States Model for Personal Care Tasks
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Video Runtime: 57 Minutes
This course will help direct care providers and clinicians see beyond the inevitable losses that happen when someone develops and lives with dementia and focus instead on what is still possible when completing ADL tasks. In the course, we will focus on recognizing and making use of retained abilities, skills, and interests from the first signs of the condition until the end of the journey to complete self-care activities. By encouraging the use of a language that highlights the unique and valuable characteristics of each state of function, care partners can better respond to the altered capacity of the person who is changing. This new perspective will foster the development and use of effective strategies that match what is possible and what is needed to engage, interact, and encourage participation in self-care activities.
This course will help direct care providers and clinicians see beyond the inevitable losses that happen when someone develops and lives with dementia and focus instead on what is still possible when completing ADL tasks. In the course, we will focus on recognizing and making use of retained abilities, skills, and interests from the first signs of the condition until the end of the journey to complete self-care activities. By encouraging the use of a language that highlights the unique and valuable characteristics of each state of function, care partners can better respond to the altered capacity of the person who is changing. This new perspective will foster the development and use of effective strategies that match what is possible and what is needed to engage, interact, and encourage participation in self-care activities.
Dementia Care: Communicating When Someone Has Dementia
Presented by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Dementia Care: Communicating When Someone Has Dementia
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Video Runtime: 57 Minutes
This course will help learners develop better interaction skills when working with people living with dementia (PLwD). Using a consistent and sequential cueing system is part of developing skillful communication in dementia care. Beginning all interactions with a positive physical approach (PPA), a positive personal connection (PPC), and a positive action starter (PAS) greatly reduces the risk of negative encounters and problematic interactions. The use of person-first, "go with the flow" responses and improved non-verbal strategies will be demonstrated to foster better understanding of messages and requests as well as better participation with fewer episodes of distress or frustration.
This course will help learners develop better interaction skills when working with people living with dementia (PLwD). Using a consistent and sequential cueing system is part of developing skillful communication in dementia care. Beginning all interactions with a positive physical approach (PPA), a positive personal connection (PPC), and a positive action starter (PAS) greatly reduces the risk of negative encounters and problematic interactions. The use of person-first, "go with the flow" responses and improved non-verbal strategies will be demonstrated to foster better understanding of messages and requests as well as better participation with fewer episodes of distress or frustration.
Dementia Care: Offering Engagement for People Living With Dementia
Presented by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Dementia Care: Offering Engagement for People Living With Dementia
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Video Runtime: 63 Minutes
This course will help clinicians and direct caregivers develop and offer activities and interactive opportunities that are appropriate and effective when someone is living with dementia. The course will help learners to better understand activities regarding their skill demands and value for the person. Emphasis will be placed on providing caregivers with ideas for key types of activities that promote interaction and engagement while reducing distress and isolation.
This course will help clinicians and direct caregivers develop and offer activities and interactive opportunities that are appropriate and effective when someone is living with dementia. The course will help learners to better understand activities regarding their skill demands and value for the person. Emphasis will be placed on providing caregivers with ideas for key types of activities that promote interaction and engagement while reducing distress and isolation.
Dementia Care: Helping as Abilities are Failing and Life is Ending
Presented by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Dementia Care: Helping as Abilities are Failing and Life is Ending
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Video Runtime: 55 Minutes
This course is designed to provide knowledge and skills for clinicians and direct care providers that will enhance the quality of life, reduce the level of distress, and improve the helper's ability to interact and communicate effectively with the person living with dementia as the condition advances toward the end of life. A focus of the course will be on the symptoms and signals that someone will demonstrate and should be noticed as indicators of changing status and need for an alternate care plan and different interventions to enhance comfort and meet new needs and preference. The goal is that caregivers will partner with the person and other members of the care team to support the individual in either staying when finding comfort and connections or letting go and transitioning through the end of life when it is time.
This course is designed to provide knowledge and skills for clinicians and direct care providers that will enhance the quality of life, reduce the level of distress, and improve the helper's ability to interact and communicate effectively with the person living with dementia as the condition advances toward the end of life. A focus of the course will be on the symptoms and signals that someone will demonstrate and should be noticed as indicators of changing status and need for an alternate care plan and different interventions to enhance comfort and meet new needs and preference. The goal is that caregivers will partner with the person and other members of the care team to support the individual in either staying when finding comfort and connections or letting go and transitioning through the end of life when it is time.
Overview of Dementia: Alzheimer's, Vascular, Lewy Body, Frontotemporal
Presented by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Overview of Dementia: Alzheimer's, Vascular, Lewy Body, Frontotemporal
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Video Runtime: 49 Minutes
This introductory course provides clinicians, care providers, care supporters, and others interested in these conditions with essential and important information. This course will help in understanding dementia, common symptoms, and highlight some of the various categories of this complex condition. This course is very helpful to everyone who is trying to determine whether what they are noticing is just normal aging or something more. The first step in providing better support and care comes with appreciating what is happening for the person in your care. This course provides basic information and awareness to help begin this process.
This introductory course provides clinicians, care providers, care supporters, and others interested in these conditions with essential and important information. This course will help in understanding dementia, common symptoms, and highlight some of the various categories of this complex condition. This course is very helpful to everyone who is trying to determine whether what they are noticing is just normal aging or something more. The first step in providing better support and care comes with appreciating what is happening for the person in your care. This course provides basic information and awareness to help begin this process.
Dementia Care: Understanding Common Symptoms for Better Care
Presented by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Dementia Care: Understanding Common Symptoms for Better Care
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Video Runtime: 48 Minutes
The goal of this course is to help care providers, and clinical staff better appreciate the changes that occur in brain structures and functions when someone is living with dementia. In this course, we will review how the brain works, how it fails, and what is possible to notice or observe to guide you in your interactions and responses to better meet the needs of the people for whom you provide care and support. Using simple and practical experiences, you will be better able to appreciate the actions, reactions, inabilities, and frustrations of people living with dementia. Using some of the newest information we have available in understanding dementia, you will be able to provide the best possible care with the fewer errors or misunderstandings.
The goal of this course is to help care providers, and clinical staff better appreciate the changes that occur in brain structures and functions when someone is living with dementia. In this course, we will review how the brain works, how it fails, and what is possible to notice or observe to guide you in your interactions and responses to better meet the needs of the people for whom you provide care and support. Using simple and practical experiences, you will be better able to appreciate the actions, reactions, inabilities, and frustrations of people living with dementia. Using some of the newest information we have available in understanding dementia, you will be able to provide the best possible care with the fewer errors or misunderstandings.
Dementia Care: Reducing the Risk of Challenging Situations
Presented by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Dementia Care: Reducing the Risk of Challenging Situations
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Video Runtime: 57 Minutes
This course will provide clinicians and direct care providers with a care planning approach and problem-solving strategy that reduces the risk that challenging behaviors or situations will arise. This happens when care providers are better at understanding the person, their history and needs, the changes the person living with dementia's (PLwDs) brain is experiencing, and the PLwDs efforts to communicate or express distress. The caregiver's ability to plan in advance and effectively and immediately respond to situations greatly reduces the risk that challenging behaviors and situations will occur.
This course will provide clinicians and direct care providers with a care planning approach and problem-solving strategy that reduces the risk that challenging behaviors or situations will arise. This happens when care providers are better at understanding the person, their history and needs, the changes the person living with dementia's (PLwDs) brain is experiencing, and the PLwDs efforts to communicate or express distress. The caregiver's ability to plan in advance and effectively and immediately respond to situations greatly reduces the risk that challenging behaviors and situations will occur.
Dementia Care: Coping with Challenging Situations in Support & Care
Presented by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Dementia Care: Coping with Challenging Situations in Support & Care
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Video Runtime: 61 Minutes
This course is designed to help clinicians and direct caregivers better understand why the person they are trying to help frequently exhibits what are seen as difficult or challenging behaviors that make care assistance problematic or even impossible to deliver. The first part of the course will help caregivers more accurately understand many of the commonly occurring 'behaviors' they are experiencing with the person they are trying to help. The next part of the course will focus on looking beyond the disease to look for other possible factors that may be causing or contributing to the challenging behavior. Key factors such as life-long personality traits and life experiences and preferences, environmental conditions and cues, other medical, sensory, or psychological conditions, the structure and flow of the day, and caregiver skills and approaches will be discussed with some selected examples demonstrated via role play. Finally, a problem-solving approach will be presented to help learners reduce the intensity, frequency, or occurrence of challenging behaviors as well as guidance in determining "Is it Worth It?" and "Letting It Go!" for healthier relationships and better outcomes.
This course is designed to help clinicians and direct caregivers better understand why the person they are trying to help frequently exhibits what are seen as difficult or challenging behaviors that make care assistance problematic or even impossible to deliver. The first part of the course will help caregivers more accurately understand many of the commonly occurring 'behaviors' they are experiencing with the person they are trying to help. The next part of the course will focus on looking beyond the disease to look for other possible factors that may be causing or contributing to the challenging behavior. Key factors such as life-long personality traits and life experiences and preferences, environmental conditions and cues, other medical, sensory, or psychological conditions, the structure and flow of the day, and caregiver skills and approaches will be discussed with some selected examples demonstrated via role play. Finally, a problem-solving approach will be presented to help learners reduce the intensity, frequency, or occurrence of challenging behaviors as well as guidance in determining "Is it Worth It?" and "Letting It Go!" for healthier relationships and better outcomes.
Key Indicators of Primary Dementias and How They Fit Together
Presented by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Key Indicators of Primary Dementias and How They Fit Together
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Video Runtime: 62 Minutes
For therapists who provide services to people living with various forms of dementia, awareness regarding differential diagnoses in order to tailor condition management and interventions is becoming more and more vital. Current understanding is that labeling someone as simply having a syndrome of "dementia" or mislabeling a condition as Alzheimer's, when it is not, in the early stages of the condition is ineffective and inadequate for best quality care and treatment planning. This session is designed to provide a description and definition of the various forms of dementia in the earlier stages. We will revisit and discuss the five role-plays from the previous part of this course that will confirm or change the predictions of type of dementia based on the interaction and performance on the screening tools.
This is part three of a three part series covering dementias. Be sure to watch:
Part One: Differentiating Dementias: Alzheimer's, Vascular, and Lewy Body
Part Two: Differentiating Dementias: Frontal, Temporal and More
For therapists who provide services to people living with various forms of dementia, awareness regarding differential diagnoses in order to tailor condition management and interventions is becoming more and more vital. Current understanding is that labeling someone as simply having a syndrome of "dementia" or mislabeling a condition as Alzheimer's, when it is not, in the early stages of the condition is ineffective and inadequate for best quality care and treatment planning. This session is designed to provide a description and definition of the various forms of dementia in the earlier stages. We will revisit and discuss the five role-plays from the previous part of this course that will confirm or change the predictions of type of dementia based on the interaction and performance on the screening tools.
This is part three of a three part series covering dementias. Be sure to watch:
Part One: Differentiating Dementias: Alzheimer's, Vascular, and Lewy Body
Part Two: Differentiating Dementias: Frontal, Temporal and More
Differentiating Dementias: Alzheimer's, Vascular, and Lewy Body
Presented by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Differentiating Dementias: Alzheimer's, Vascular, and Lewy Body
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For therapists that provide screenings and possible diagnoses, it can be difficult to determine the major characteristics of each form of dementia separately. Given that a correct diagnosis is extremely important to the quality of life and care for people living with dementia, this course will provide deeper information about Alzheimer's, Vascular, and Lewy Body by discussing the expected changes and symptoms, as well as providing demonstrations to show varying characteristics. . Finally, the session will provide alternative screening techniques, knowledge about the different dementias, and support for those providing treatment as well as care to be better advocates and partners for people living with each type.
This is part one of a three part series covering Dementias. Be sure to watch:
Part Two: Differentiating Dementias: Frontal, Temporal and More
Part Three: Key Indicators of Primary Dementias and How They Fit Together
Differentiating Dementias: Frontal, Temporal and More
Presented by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Differentiating Dementias: Frontal, Temporal and More
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and patient education—anytime, anywhere—with video instruction from
recognized industry experts.
For therapists that provide screenings and possible diagnoses, it can be difficult to determine the major characteristics of each form of dementia separately. Given that a correct diagnosis is extremely important to the quality of life and care for people living with dementia, this course will provide deeper information about Frontal Temporal Dementia and other less common forms by discussing the expected changes and symptoms, as well as providing demonstrations to show varying characteristics. Finally, the session will provide alternative screening techniques, knowledge around the different dementias, and support for those providing treatment as well as care to be better advocates and partners for people living with each type.
This is part two of a three part series covering dementias. Be sure to watch:
Part One: Differentiating Dementias: Alzheimer's, Vascular, and Lewy Body
Part Three: Key Indicators of Primary Dementias and How They Fit Together
Depression, Delirium, Dementia: The 3 D's in a Complex Patient
Presented by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Depression, Delirium, Dementia: The 3 D's in a Complex Patient
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As people age, their brains become more vulnerable to chemical changes, damage, and disease. Recognizing the differences among changes that signal an acute illness or medical emergency, symptoms of a mood or emotional condition, or a chronic, progressive, and terminal condition that will eventually rob a person of their cognitive abilities is vital in providing the best possible care and responding effectively when changes are noted. This course will provide some basic signs to differentiate between the three Ds: Delirium, Depression, and Dementia.
Untangling Depression, Delirium, and Dementia: Screening and Assessment Strategies
Presented by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Untangling Depression, Delirium, and Dementia: Screening and Assessment Strategies
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When assessing someone who may exhibit signs of one, or all three of the conditions, delirium, depression, and dementia, it can be difficult to determine what changes can be made and what tools to use for screening. Each of the three Ds has a unique onset, duration, impact on alertness and arousal, as well as orientation and possible causes and treatment recommendations. This session will help providers recognize and respond more accurately to reduce non-helpful hospitalizations, delays in medical attention for acute illness, non-treatment of treatable conditions, and premature discharge of residents who might be able to stay in the community.
How to Communicate When Someone is Living With Dementia
Presented by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
How to Communicate When Someone is Living With Dementia
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This session will help learners develop better interaction skills when working with people with Dementia and their families. The goal of this course is to enhance treatment session outcomes and quality of life for those living life with some form of Dementia within their support systems. Emphasis is placed on the value of recognizing changing abilities that impact interaction and performance skills. Utilizing the dementia state 'GEMS' assessment model and modifying communication strategies, learners will be able to make better use of retained abilities while acknowledging unrealistic expectations due to dementia. Professionals will be better able to help themselves, as well as guide families and staff they work with, reduce or minimize unproductive conversations and 'refusals and resistive' behaviors by using more effective verbal and non-verbal communication and 'approach techniques'.
Working with Dementia: Understanding Changes in Movement and Sensation
Presented by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA
Working with Dementia: Understanding Changes in Movement and Sensation
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There are many changes in behavior, communication, and interactive ability that take place when someone is living with Dementia. Behaviors observed may appear strange, unusual, dangerous, or frustrating to others. This course is designed to help professionals better understand "why" things they see are happening and "how" behaviors are connected to an individual's change in sensation, sensory processing, and motor skill abilities due to the onset, then worsening, of various Dementias. The goal of the course is to provide learners with explanation of behavioral response to what someone might 'see, hear, smell, taste, or feel' as well as helpful strategies for the purpose of applying this knowledge and modifying environments, cues, tasks, props, routines, or expectations for better outcomes and interactions for all involved.
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