Dementia Care Graduate Certificate Programs

Updated: Sep 29, 2024

Healthcare professionals can often niche into specialist health areas out of professional interest or career opportunities. As the population ages, there will be an even greater demand for professionals in elder care, especially with the higher number of dementia cases.

If you're interested in caring for dementia patients, you could benefit from a dedicated dementia
care graduate certificate. Such a qualification will impart the skills to work in this specialist healthcare area.

What Are the Online Dementia Care Graduate Certificate Requirements?

Are you currently working in frontline health and considering redirecting your career to dementia
care? Such graduate certificates have a list of minimum entry requirements for students. You will
typically find that most such programs require of you:

An accredited nursing or other relevant health qualification and any required licensing
Minimum 3.0 GPA. You may be eligible to apply with a lower grade on the condition that
you have extensive experience – a statement of appeal may be required
Supporting academic transcripts to demonstrate you have the above
Application form and full fee
CV or resume
Two employer recommendation letters
A personal statement explaining how you became interested in dementia care, your
experience, your intended areas of interest to learn, and your career plan
For applicants who do not speak English as a first language, you will be expected to provide
formal qualifications in the form of accredited certifications – PTEA, IELTS, and TOEFL are
normal. The college may accept other standards too

What Types of Classes Are Included in an Online Dementia Care Graduate Certificate Curriculum?

Dementia Care Graduate Certificates are comprised of a range of mandatory and elective courses:

Alzheimer's and Dementia: Disease Trajectory and Management
Dementia Caregivers and Families
Dementia Behaviors, Communication, and Care Coordination

What Type of Career Can I Pursue with a Dementia Care Graduate Certificate?

As a qualified nurse, you will already have a range of jobs open to you. Your dementia care graduate certificate will open a few more options aligned with elder care. In most cases, you will
need professional qualifications elsewhere:

Dementia Nurse: Whether a practical nurse, registered nurse, or nurse practitioner, you will now have the skills to apply your past care experience in a care home or equivalent setting.
Nurse Educator: If you are already a nurse, you can use your new dementia care qualification to teach others about caring for dementia patients.
Social Worker: Social workers help vulnerable people with a range of social assistance. With this graduate certificate, you may specialize in elder care.
Physical Therapist: Dementia typically occurs in older age, a period when physical injuries are more likely, along with arthritis and rheumatism, you could specialize your expertise towards elder care.
Dietitian: With memory especially hit hard with some forms of dementia, a dietician is needed for general elder health, but also to help develop ways of helping the patient remember to eat.