The International Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners, based in New Jersey, United States of America, has partnered with Relias Learning to set up an all-new online training portal for international health care professionals seeking certification in the area of dementia care. The Certification is called Certified Dementia Practitioner(R) (CDP(R)). The online certification and learning site can be found at the point of entry at http://www.iccdp.net.

"Worldwide, dementia is the number one diagnosis in older people and it is imperative that all health care professionals and front line staff are offered the opportunity to complete a comprehensive dementia education curriculum - and the opportunity to receive dementia certification as a Certified Dementia Practitioner CDP. This type of comprehensive education and CDP certification provides health care professionals the tools to provide compassionate and knowledgeable care to the most vulnerable people," said Sandra Stimson, CEO and Founder of NCCDP and ICCDP. Mrs. Stimson went on to say, "Most countries do not have national standards regarding dementia education and that is not acceptable. Health care professionals can now obtain comprehensive dementia education right from the privacy of their home or office." In the United States ICCDP's sister company is the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners, which has been providing dementia education and CDP certification to thousands of health care professionals and front line staff for over a decade.

The online learning site for ICCDP hosts more than 1,000 courses and features a 17-hour Alzheimer's disease and Dementia Care curriculum that awards the health care professional the CDP Certified Dementia Practitioner certification upon completion. The certification covers the following topics and many more:

     --Overview of Alzheimer's disease and dementia
     --Wandering and hoarding, communication, feelings
     --Challenging and aggressive behaviors
     --Depression and delirium
     --Staff and family support
     --Cultural diversity, therapeutic recreation
     --Sexuality and end-of-life concerns
     --Therapeutic activities and much more

ICCDP's sister company, the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCCDP), has been a partner of Relias Learning since 2011. The ICCDP's new online learning portal launch marks another milestone in the successful partnership. International health care professionals are encouraged to view the CDP certification and ICCDP Alzheimer's disease and Dementia Care curriculum available at http://www.iccdp.net where professionals will complete a CDP application, and, if they meet the professional requirements, will be directed to Relias Academy and the ICCDP Alzheimer's disease and Dementia Care (17 hours) curriculum. Professionals will be able to complete the online curriculum at their own pace.

About ICCDP International Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners

The International Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (ICCDP) is open to all health care professionals and front line staff who qualify for CDP(R) certification  and are interested in comprehensive dementia education, who value dementia education training, who are committed to ending abuse and neglect and who value Certified Dementia Practitioner(R) CDP(R) certification.

The ICCDP Council was formed to promote standards of excellence in Dementia and Alzheimer's disease education and dementia certification to professionals and front line staff who provide services to dementia clients. As the number of dementia cases continues to increase worldwide, there is a great necessity to ensure that caregivers, front line staff and health care professionals are well trained to provide appropriate, competent, and sensitive direct care and support for the dementia patient. The sister company, National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners(R), LLC (NCCDP), was formed in 2003 by a group of professionals with varying work and personal experiences in the field of dementia care. For information about ICCDP please see http://www.iccdp.net