Evergreen Certified Dementia Care Specialist

To be eligible for certification, the applicant must be a registered helping professionals who provide care to patients and clients diagnosed with dementia and have specialized training in the care of these patients.

• Health Care Professionals such as Certified Nursing Assistants, Licensed Practical Nurses, Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Physicians and Physician Assistants
• Rehabilitation Professionals such as Occupational Therapists/Occupational Therapy Assistants, Physical Therapists/Physical Therapist Assistants, Speech Language Pathologists
• Behavioral Health Professionals such as Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists, Psychologists and Counselors
• Other Credentialed Professionals such as Case Managers, Personal Care Assistants, Home Care Providers, Admissions Directors, Administrators

A minimum of 6 hours of continuing education in specific dementia care topics.

Pre-approved, 3rd party trainings that meet the training requirements for ECDCS certification include:

• A Comprehensive Approach to the Aging Client with Dementia by PESI – Certification Included!
• Alzheimer’s Disease & Other Dementias Certification Training by PESI – Certification Included!
• Dementia Care Specialist Certification: Essential Tools for the Most Common & Challenging Client Problems by PESI – Certification Included!
• The Aging Brain: Assessments, Treatments & Interventions Training by PESI
• Alzheimer’s Disease & Other Dementias Certification Online Course by PESI – Certification Fee Included!
• Comprehensive Geriatric and Dementia Care Certification: An Evergreen Certified Dementia Care Specialist (ECDCS) Training Course – Certification Fee Included!
• Dementia Care Specialist (ECDCS) Certification Course: Complete Care for Geriatric Patients – Certification Fee Included!
• Addressing Geriatric Challenges & Supporting Families: A Dementia Certification Training by PESI – Certification Included!

Wondering if a course meets the requirements for ECDCS certification? Submit a copy of or link to the course title, speaker, outline and learning objectives to info@evergreencertifications.com for review.

Please note that Evergreen Certifications does not offer continuing CPD, all training must be purchased directly through the accredited training organization. Training is not included in the certification fee.

For your initial 1-year certification, please complete the following steps.

1. Complete a qualifying training
2. Remit your initial application payment of 99.99 USD online
3. Upload the following documents to your account:
   • A copy of the candidate’s professional registration, credential, or membership
   • Evidence of completion of qualifying training, in the form of a CPD or completion certificate

Evergreen Certifications will certify applicants who meet the above requirements.

Please note: Certification does not imply endorsement of competency. As a registered/credentialed professional, you are responsible for reviewing the scope of practice, including activities that are defined in law as beyond the boundaries of practice in accordance with and in compliance with your profession’s standards.

To maintain ECDCS certification, a renewal is required. After your initial 1-year certification, you have the option to renew for 1, 2 or 3 years. A 1-year renewal requires 6 CPD hours of dementia care-focused training since you were last certified; a 2-year renewal requires 12 CPD hours, and a 3-year renewal requires 18 hours.

Sample ECDCS renewal trainings include:

• The Aging Brain: Evidence-Based Treatment & Interventions for Alzheimer’s, Dementia, Brain Health, and Cognitive Vitality by PESI
• Dementia Support Group Leader’s Training by PESI
• Dementia Made Simple by PESI
• Dementia in Primary Care by PESI
• Alzheimer’s Disease: Mysteries and Possibilities by Allegra Learning Solutions
• Alzheimers Disease – A Deeper Understanding by CE-CLASSES.COM
• Alzheimer’s Disease by cnaZone

Renewal CPD content cannot be the same content used for prior renewal or initial certification

Renewal Process

1. Complete a qualifying training
2. Upload the following documents to your account:
   • A copy of the candidate’s professional registration, credential, or membership
   • Evidence of completion of qualifying training, in the form of a CPD or completion certificate
3. Remit your ECDCS renewal fee online

Renewal training hours need to have been taken in the time since you were certified or last recertified and cannot be completed more than 3 years prior to certification expiration date.

Renewals are calculated from the date that your certification was issued. If you allow your certification to lapse for more than 3 years, you are no longer eligible to renew your certification and instead can reapply for certification.