Free Dementia Care Training for Ohio's Skilled Nursing Communities
The Alzheimer's Association and the state of Ohio are partnering to offer free dementia care training opportunities to skilled nursing communities in the state.From July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2029, skilled nursing community staff can enroll in essentiALZ® — Alzheimer's Association Training and Certification at no cost. essentiALZ teaches evidence-based, person-centered dementia care through an online course. Each community's enrollment will remain available until its annual allocation of seats fills up, or until the project ends.
This statewide opportunity is possible thanks to Civil Money Penalty Reinvestment Program (CMPRP) funding.
About essentiALZ — Alzheimer's Association Training and Certification
essentiALZ training and certification was developed with evidence (PDF) from the Alzheimer’s Association Dementia Care Practice Recommendations. It educates professional care providers on the latest person-centered practices to care for individuals living with dementia. Program benefits include:
Convenient learning with a self-paced, three-hour curriculum, available in English or Spanish.
Practical and comprehensive training based on Dementia Care Practice Recommendations.
Recognition of knowledge through the essentiALZ certification exam and continuing education credit (PDF).
- The basics of Alzheimer's and dementia
- Person-centered dementia care
- Assessment and care planning
- Activities of daily living
- Communication changes and dementia-related behavior
essentiALZ is for individual professional care providers in long-term and community-based care settings such as nursing homes, assisted living and home care. Professional care providers who pass the essentiALZ exam are certified in essentiALZ for two years.
How do I redeem free essentiALZ training?
Anyone working for an eligible skilled nursing community in Ohio can redeem free essentiALZ training. Each skilled nursing community has a limited number of seats per year, which are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. You can enroll until either all seats are full or the project ends on June 30, 2029. If your community has already redeemed its annual number of training opportunities, you may be eligible to enroll once the count resets on July 1 of the following year.
To get started:
- Fill out our brief eligibility form.
- Look for an email titled "Alzheimer's Association Ohio CMP Program," which should arrive within 30 minutes of submitting the form.
- If you're eligible, the email will include your unique enrollment link.
Please note: You have one year from the day you redeem the training to complete it.
Help and support
How do I start the course?
- Follow the unique enrollment link in your "Alzheimer's Association Ohio CMP Program" email.
- Create an account or log in to an existing account.
- Click "Course Catalog" on the left-hand side of the page. If using a mobile device, find the course catalog by tapping the menu icon ( ☰ ) in the upper-left corner of your screen.
- Select "essentiALZ Training and Certification (CMP)" and add it to your cart. Check out to confirm your enrollment.
- You'll see the course in your "Active Courses" tab on your dashboard. Click "Go to Course" to begin.
How do I print my certificate?
To print a certificate, first sign into your account. Then follow these steps:- Click on "Completed Courses"
- Find essentiALZ in the list
- Click the three vertical dots ( ⋮ ) on the far-right side of the screen
- Click "Download Certificate"
- Save the PDF file to your device and print
What if I didn’t receive an email after submitting my eligibility form?
Access emails are sent automatically once you submit your eligibility form. If 30 minutes passes and you don't receive your email, please try the following steps:- Refresh the webpage or email app
- Check your spam folder
- Reach out alzcmp@alz.org
Who do I contact with questions?
For technical assistance, please reach out to education@alz.org.For questions about this project, please reach out to alzcmp@alz.org.
Funding statement
This training opportunity is provided by CMPRP grant funding through the Ohio Department of Medicaid. Completion of this training qualifies as a Nursing Home Quality Improvement Project.
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Cleveland Area
Our Cleveland Area Chapter serves northeast counties around Independence, OH.
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Greater Cincinnati
Our Greater Cincinnati Chapter serves counties in southern Ohio, southeastern Indiana and northern Kentucky.
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Greater East Ohio
Our Greater East Ohio Area Chapter serves northeast Ohio counties around Canton, OH.
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