OVERVIEW
Strengthen Skills for Veteran-Focused Dementia Care
Build your expertise with a Veterans’ Memory and Dementia Care Certificate from the Leavitt School of Health. This certificate combines dementia care skills with veteran-focused training to help healthcare professionals provide confident and person-centered care.
In this certificate, you will:
- Recognize veteran-specific factors that shape care priorities
- Apply focused care across military, veteran, and community settings
- Use trauma-informed communication and behavioral support
- Plan safe, supportive care environments that reduce trauma triggers
Cost
$799
No additional fees
Courses
2 online courses
5 total credits
Time to Complete
3 months
5 to 10 hours per week
COURSES
Veterans’ Memory and Dementia Care Certificate Courses
The Veterans’ Memory and Dementia Care Certificate is designed for healthcare professionals who support aging veteran populations. It does not require a bachelor’s degree.
Course Structure
You’ll complete two courses that include readings, videos, scenarios, interactive elements, and knowledge checks designed to help you master the material. In the final projects, you’ll synthesize and apply what you’ve learned.
The 2 courses in this program are:
As the population ages and the number of people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia-related diseases increases, so does the need for excellent caregivers. This course equips you with the foundational skills needed to provide compassionate and person-centered dementia care. You will learn how to distinguish between normal aging and dementia symptoms. You will examine screenings and assessments, and how they are used to develop and modify care plans. You will gain verbal and nonverbal communication strategies, learn best practices for behavioral support, and become familiar with therapeutic engagement techniques. You will also explore how to assess safety risks and support well-being at all stages of dementia through environmental adaptation. These skills and more will help you become a more effective caregiver—one who puts the individual who is living with dementia at the center of every interaction and decision.
Aging veterans carry a lifetime of experience—combat, sacrifice, discipline, deep pride—that shape the way cognitive decline and dementia manifests. This course is designed to help you recognize these influences and adjust care priorities to best serve the individuals who served our country. You will learn why veterans might hide their pain, why they might fight against taking a shower, or why a loud alarm sounds like a battlefield to them. You will focus on the human side of veteran care by gaining practical skills like speaking with a commanding presence, designing rooms to promote safety, and supporting families who have been alongside their loved ones for decades.
CAREER OUTCOMES
Results That Make a Difference
When you’re caring for veterans living with dementia, preparation matters. This certificate helps you provide veteran-centered care, from recognizing how military experience can shape dementia presentation to using trauma-informed communication that builds trust.
You’ll also be better equipped to adjust care priorities, reduce distress, and create safer, more supportive environments for aging veterans. These skills can help you serve veterans more effectively while making complex care feel more manageable.
Roles that can benefit
Anyone who cares for aging veterans, including:
- Registered nurses
- Licensed practical nurses
- Certified nursing assistants
- Emergency medical technicians
- Healthcare social workers
COST
An Affordable Certificate
Your certificate cost includes program access, e-textbooks, and learning resources.
You'll have three months to complete the program at your own pace. If you need more time, your enrollment will automatically transition to a $199 monthly subscription until you’re finished. You can cancel at any time. Financial aid isn't available, but we do offer monthly payment plans.
$799
Total cost | No additional fees
Payment Plan Option
3 monthly payments of $266.33
HOW IT WORKS
What to Expect From This Certificate
Requirements
- You must have internet access and a computer.
- You will be required to submit performance assessments to our WGU Evaluation Team. You may attempt each assessment two times before additional support is necessary.
- This certificate does not require a bachelor’s degree for enrollment.
Program Expectations
- This certificate will be self-directed, like other WGU competency-based courses, allowing you to complete modules as quickly as you master the material.
- You should plan to dedicate 5 to 10 hours a week to this certificate program.
Why Choose a WGU Certificate?
WGU certificates are focused, non-degree programs designed to help you build specialized, career-relevant skills in months. With year-round enrollment, you can start when you’re ready and progress through your certificate as quickly as you master the material. Learn more about WGU certificates.
Job-Ready Skills
Our certificate programs are developed with employer input to reflect real workforce needs.
Never Alone
Access mentors and career services to help guide you from start to finish.
University-Backed
Earn a credential from an accredited university with more than 29 years of experience providing quality higher education.
Get More Information
Fill out the form to learn more about WGU’s Veterans' Memory and Dementia Care Certificate.
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