Introduction           

The Circle of Harmony concept and the related techniques and approaches described in this workbook, and the accompanying video are based on the work and practice of the staff at the COPSA Day Program, COPSA Institute for Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders at UBHC/UMDNJ.

Opened in 1982, The COPSA Day Program was the first specialized , dementia day care program in the state. As a university–based program, we have had the mandate and advantage of incorporating the latest research into practice in our daily work.

The COPSA Day Program practices are rooted in some fundamental beliefs about our clients and their families.

“We believe that every human being, no matter how impaired, has the ability to love and be loved. We believe that every person has an enduring sense of self and a need to be in harmony with his or her environment, and we believe that our work with caregivers is as important as our work with clients”. Mary Catherine Lundquist, Coordinator COPSA Day Program

For Professionals

This training was designed for busy day care professionals who have no time for training. You can watch the film in its entirety or in smaller segments as your schedule allows. The workbook follows the same format as the movie and has exercises to reinforce what you learn from the film. You can work on this training with your colleagues or individually at your own pace.

For Caregivers

The Circle of Harmony was created for professionals but caregivers who have seen it say they have found it very helpful.

If you are caring for someone with dementia please keep a couple of points in mind as you watch this DVD. There are many kinds of dementia and the course of the illness for each individual can be very different.

We have portrayed a wide variety of cognitive deficits and behavior problems in this film. Not every one with a dementia will develop these symptoms. Your loved may never demonstrate the behaviors portrayed in the Circle of Harmony.

If your loved one does develop behavior problems the techniques demonstrated in this film can easily be adopted for home. We can help you do that and we are only a phone call away.

You can reach us at the COPSA Institute for Alzheimer’s Disease at 800 424-2494 between 8:30 and 4:30 Monday thru Friday. We would be happy to answer any questions you have about Alzheimer’s, tell you about services in the community and help you figure out strategies for working with behavior problems and providing the best care for your loved one.

Mary Catherine Lundquist
Coordinator COPSA Day Program

Mary Anne Ross
Coordinator of COPSA Institute for Alzheimer’s Disease
Training and Consultation Specialist

The training can be accessed online here.