Empowering Dementia Care: A Journey of Expertise and Compassion with Evelyn Cayzer-Johnson
Mindwell Dementia Care was founded and started in 2023 by Evelyn Cayzer-Johnson.
Mindwell Dementia Care was founded and started in 2023 by Evelyn Cayzer-Johnson.
Evelyn is a registered nursing sister with 43 years of nursing experience. She has been involved with many facets of nursing, namely neurology, where she ran and headed up the EEG department at The Princess Nursing Home, under the profound Dr Percy
Terespolsky in the 1980-1982. Then later went on to work at The Rand Epileptic Association – Women’s Centre in Craighall Park.
Following a long period of 16 years of working at Olivedale Hospital, she left to take up a position as Matron at Olivedale Retirement Village in Northriding, Randburg, Gauteng, South Africa and later to work at Livewell in Bryanston, an exclusive facility that specialises in Dementia Care.
With all the experience of working at the various facilities, she gained an enormous amount of experience in Care for the Aged, while at the same time, having both her parents diagnosed with dementia. Mom with Parkinson’s and Lewey Bodies, and Dad with Fronto-Temporal Lobe Vascular dementia. This proved to her what it was like to have family who were living with dementia, and the lack of awareness and assistance available to anyone in a similar situation.
She decided that she needed to educate herself more and studied an accredited dementia course from the USA that gave her the License and Accreditation as a CDS (CERTIFIED DEMENTIA SPECIALIST) and then went on to qualify as a MoCA Memory Loss Accredited Accessor, that gave her the necessary skills and techniques to understand and care for anyone with dementia.
This then led to her developing her own bespoke workshops to help assist and teach care workers, Primary Caregivers and their families with learning the skills, understanding dementia and being able to plan the Dementia Journey from time of diagnosis.
Staying Mindful in Dementia
At Mindwell Dementia Care we dedicate our time to assisting Primary Caregivers, who are mainly the spouses or a family member, who have taken up the responsibility of taking care of their loved one who is diagnosed with dementia.
Our bespoke designed workshops are especially aimed at the various types of needs that the family unit requires while taking care of their loved one who is living with the debilitating, progressive and incurable disorder.
Our workshops are facilitated in the privacy of one’s home, via a social media platform, or at a care facility, where we often run group sessions for nurses and care workers.
Introduction Workshops
Our Dementia Introduction Workshops cater for those interested in finding out more about dementia, the types and the prognoses. These are run in groups of no less that 6 people at a time at a facility, or in one’s home, mainly for those who are worried about themselves having symptoms of dementia, or family members who notice that there are specific concerns about their loved one, who is showing symptoms of dementia behavior.
Care Workers Workshop
Primary Carer Workshop
Family Workshops
Our Family Workshops unite families facing dementia, addressing differing opinions and assumptions that often arise post-diagnosis. Emphasising Person-Centred Care, we highlight the importance of understanding dementia-related behaviours and the stresses on Primary Carers. Shared responsibility is key to preserving family bonds. Our workshops introduce Care-Team Plans, Action Plans, and Activity Plans, enhancing the lives of both the individual with dementia and the Primary Carer. Financial planning is integrated into the Dementia Journey. We provide solutions, define team roles, and involve the person with dementia in decision-making. Mindwell Dementia Care ensures families access help, guidance, and support, priding ourselves on comprehensive assistance!
Our Vision
Passionate Advocacy
Educating people about Dementia and eradicating the stigmas and ostracism that families, Primary Carers and those living with dementia are faced with daily is what makes Evelyn’s passion ever more profound.
Vision for Africa
Evelyn's vision extends to increasing dementia awareness throughout Africa, establishing satellite care centres across the continent. These centres aim to equip care workers, nurses, and families with the tools for optimal dementia care, integrating dementia into society with respect and compassion.
Respectful Environments
Dedicated to providing safe environments and facilities, Evelyn envisions spaces where the aged receive the respect and quality care they truly deserve.
Medical Education
Evelyn focuses on educating nurses and medical staff on treating elderly individuals with dementia in hospitals. She advocates for proper dementia departments in rural clinics to ensure accurate assessments and treatment.
Support for Caregivers
Addressing the daily stress and burnout faced by Primary Caregivers and care workers is a priority, particularly those caring for someone diagnosed with dementia.
Continual Education
Evelyn emphasises continual education and knowledge-sharing, aiming to enhance the lives of those on The Dementia Journey.
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