The Graduate Certificate in Dementia (CDEM) is a program designed to accommodate the practical needs of a number of professional groups including nurses, social workers, dietitians, interior designers, psychologists, occupational and speech therapists, health care administrators and music and recreational therapists. It is also intended for graduate level students who are interested in learning more about clinical and leadership issues in Alzheimer's care and related illnesses. This 12-13 credit hour multidisciplinary Graduate Certificate program provides a theoretical framework and practical grounding in working with families and persons with dementia, in the home, community-based programs, and 24-hour care settings. The program focuses on the social psychology of dementia, the changes that occur in the person with dementia, changes in how they communicate, and ways they compensate throughout the states of dementia. Students learn techniques to accommodate for these changes. Major themes of this program center on ongoing assessment of the person and his/her environment and the development of supportive interventions to increase the well-being of the person with dementia.