As the number of Americans living with dementia continues to rise, home care providers face a challenge: how to deliver truly personalized support that adapts to each individual's unique journey.
At Griswold, the answer is the Personalized Approach Training and Holistic Support (PATH) Program, an exclusive initiative designed to assess where Clients are in their dementia journey and equip Caregivers with specialized training tailored to each stage of the disease. The PATH Program combines Client assessments, individualized care planning, and hands-on Caregiver education to help older adults remain independent at home for as long as possible.
"The reality is that nearly every family will be touched by dementia in some way,” said Amanda Lepore, MSOL, CSA, CDP, CADDCT and Vice President of Learning and Development at Griswold. “One in three people over 85 are living with Alzheimer's and that is only going to grow. As the number of people living with cognitive decline continues to grow, we have a responsibility to ensure Caregivers are equipped not just with knowledge, but with the practical skills and confidence needed to provide exceptional support.”
According to Lepore, dementia often serves as the catalyst for many of the safety concerns families encounter. "What often begins as occasional forgetfulness can quickly impact safety, independence, and quality of life. Mixing medications can quickly result in a completely preventable hospitalization, as an example. Families are navigating incredibly difficult decisions, and they need Caregivers and home care providers who understand how dementia affects the whole person. That's why personalized support isn't a luxury, it's essential."
The PATH Program was developed to address two significant challenges facing dementia care today. One was the growing number of individuals living with cognitive decline, and the other was the lack of formal training among Caregivers.
"Most Caregivers are not prepared," Lepore said. "Eighty-nine percent of Caregivers report no formal dementia training. That's a recipe for disaster."
To bridge that gap, Griswold created a comprehensive framework that evaluates Clients across six different levels of dementia-related support needs. Using those assessments, Caregivers receive training tailored to the type of care each Client requires.
Lepore says that the responsibility of caring for loved ones often falls to families who are managing the emotional, physical, and financial challenges along with navigating a disease they know little abou. She adss taht up to 89% of caregivers report no formal training and that number increases when we include family caregivers.
"No two dementia journeys are exactly alike. PATH helps us understand where someone is today so we can tailor both the care plan and Caregiver training to their current needs. By meeting Clients where they are, we can reduce frustration, build trust, and most importantly preserve independence and dignity for the person living with dementia,” Lepore said. "The foundation of PATH is simple: care is personal. We aren't focused on a diagnosis—we're focused on a person. Their history, preferences, abilities, and goals all matter. When Caregivers understand that, they can create moments of success, connection, and joy, even in the midst of cognitive decline."
For Brandon Harrison, a Griswold franchise owner who helped pilot the program, the initiative began with a simple question. "About a year ago, I was thinking of ways we could better serve the dementia population in our community and how we could deliver the kind of care that somebody who is living with dementia can truly benefit from," Harrison said.
He believed families needed more than traditional companion care.
"We wanted to grow beyond what a typical home care company provides, which is essentially a warm body in the home to keep an eye on things," he said. "Through my involvement with the Alzheimer's Association, I started to think about more specialty training to give Caregivers the tools necessary to provide the highest quality of care. How can we provide a service that can help people stay in their homes longer? How can we support their independence and dignity? How can we support both our clients and their families navigating these challenging diseases?”
As he explored potential solutions, Harrison connected with Lepore and the Griswold Home Office team. Together, they began developing what would eventually become the PATH Program.
"Amanda and the Home Office team interviewed dementia experts, and the product they delivered was beyond my expectations,” Harrison said. “It's beyond Caregiver training. It pairs it with an assessment tool that helps determine what phase Clients are in during their dementia journey. It helps us design a care plan and train our staff specifically for that Client.”
A key differentiator of the PATH Program is its priority of face-to-face education, Lepore says. Unlike many dementia training programs that rely heavily on online modules, for example, PATH uses a train-the-trainer model delivered in person through local Griswold offices that are PATH Certified.
"The most meaningful learning happens when people learn from one another,” Lepore said. “Dementia care is deeply human work, and we wanted training that reflected that. Through in-person discussions, shared experiences, and hands-on practice, Caregivers gain confidence that simply can't be replicated through a screen."
For Harrison, the response from Caregivers has already been overwhelmingly positive. "Caregivers were calling the office and thanking us for the training," Harrison said. "They felt it was very eye-opening for them. The majority of dementia training is mostly online. But this is in-person, and because people are part of a broader group, there's a lot of interaction. They can share stories and experiences. We are able to talk through those situations and discuss how things could be handled differently or how the PATH Program could improve the situation and make the Caregiver's job less stressful."
The PATH Program was piloted in early 2026 and officially introduced across the franchise system at Griswold's national conference. The company is currently rolling out the program throughout the remainder of the year and is pursuing approval from the Alzheimer's Association.
As the aging population continues to grow, both Lepore and Harrison believe specialized dementia care will become increasingly important for families seeking alternatives to institutional care.
"With the growing population and the Baby Boomer generation, it's a ballooning population of folks who need our assistance in the home," Harrison said. "Our mission every day is to provide families and loved ones the support they need so they can live more comfortably at home. The families we've been interacting with are more educated and they have a clearer picture of what their options are. They can see where a program like this can provide relief for the Client and relief for the family as well."
Ultimately, PATH is designed to accomplish what many families hope for most: helping loved ones remain safe, comfortable, and independent for as long as possible.
"By utilizing the PATH Program, we can meet the Client where they are and preserve the level of independence they are currently capable of and prolong that," Harrison said. "We know their loved one is safe and secure. We are providing that level of interaction that is meaningful. We are really elevating their living situation in each one of their homes."
To find out more information on costs to buy a Griswold franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/griswold/info.
Griswold
SPONSORED
The brand's new training program enhances dementia support through customized Client assessments and in-person collaboration, helping seniors safely maintain their independence at home.
As the number of Americans living with dementia continues to rise, home care providers face a challenge: how to deliver truly personalized support that adapts to each individual's unique journey.
At Griswold, the answer is the Personalized Approach Training and Holistic Support (PATH) Program, an exclusive initiative designed to assess where Clients are in their dementia journey and equip Caregivers with specialized training tailored to each stage of the disease. The PATH Program combines Client assessments, individualized care planning, and hands-on Caregiver education to help older adults remain independent at home for as long as possible.
"The reality is that nearly every family will be touched by dementia in some way,” said Amanda Lepore, MSOL, CSA, CDP, CADDCT and Vice President of Learning and Development at Griswold. “One in three people over 85 are living with Alzheimer's and that is only going to grow. As the number of people living with cognitive decline continues to grow, we have a responsibility to ensure Caregivers are equipped not just with knowledge, but with the practical skills and confidence needed to provide exceptional support.”
According to Lepore, dementia often serves as the catalyst for many of the safety concerns families encounter. "What often begins as occasional forgetfulness can quickly impact safety, independence, and quality of life. Mixing medications can quickly result in a completely preventable hospitalization, as an example. Families are navigating incredibly difficult decisions, and they need Caregivers and home care providers who understand how dementia affects the whole person. That's why personalized support isn't a luxury, it's essential."
The PATH Program was developed to address two significant challenges facing dementia care today. One was the growing number of individuals living with cognitive decline, and the other was the lack of formal training among Caregivers.
"Most Caregivers are not prepared," Lepore said. "Eighty-nine percent of Caregivers report no formal dementia training. That's a recipe for disaster."
To bridge that gap, Griswold created a comprehensive framework that evaluates Clients across six different levels of dementia-related support needs. Using those assessments, Caregivers receive training tailored to the type of care each Client requires.
Lepore says that the responsibility of caring for loved ones often falls to families who are managing the emotional, physical, and financial challenges along with navigating a disease they know little abou. She adss taht up to 89% of caregivers report no formal training and that number increases when we include family caregivers.
"No two dementia journeys are exactly alike. PATH helps us understand where someone is today so we can tailor both the care plan and Caregiver training to their current needs. By meeting Clients where they are, we can reduce frustration, build trust, and most importantly preserve independence and dignity for the person living with dementia,” Lepore said. "The foundation of PATH is simple: care is personal. We aren't focused on a diagnosis—we're focused on a person. Their history, preferences, abilities, and goals all matter. When Caregivers understand that, they can create moments of success, connection, and joy, even in the midst of cognitive decline."
For Brandon Harrison, a Griswold franchise owner who helped pilot the program, the initiative began with a simple question. "About a year ago, I was thinking of ways we could better serve the dementia population in our community and how we could deliver the kind of care that somebody who is living with dementia can truly benefit from," Harrison said.
He believed families needed more than traditional companion care.
"We wanted to grow beyond what a typical home care company provides, which is essentially a warm body in the home to keep an eye on things," he said. "Through my involvement with the Alzheimer's Association, I started to think about more specialty training to give Caregivers the tools necessary to provide the highest quality of care. How can we provide a service that can help people stay in their homes longer? How can we support their independence and dignity? How can we support both our clients and their families navigating these challenging diseases?”
As he explored potential solutions, Harrison connected with Lepore and the Griswold Home Office team. Together, they began developing what would eventually become the PATH Program.
"Amanda and the Home Office team interviewed dementia experts, and the product they delivered was beyond my expectations,” Harrison said. “It's beyond Caregiver training. It pairs it with an assessment tool that helps determine what phase Clients are in during their dementia journey. It helps us design a care plan and train our staff specifically for that Client.”
A key differentiator of the PATH Program is its priority of face-to-face education, Lepore says. Unlike many dementia training programs that rely heavily on online modules, for example, PATH uses a train-the-trainer model delivered in person through local Griswold offices that are PATH Certified.
"The most meaningful learning happens when people learn from one another,” Lepore said. “Dementia care is deeply human work, and we wanted training that reflected that. Through in-person discussions, shared experiences, and hands-on practice, Caregivers gain confidence that simply can't be replicated through a screen."
For Harrison, the response from Caregivers has already been overwhelmingly positive. "Caregivers were calling the office and thanking us for the training," Harrison said. "They felt it was very eye-opening for them. The majority of dementia training is mostly online. But this is in-person, and because people are part of a broader group, there's a lot of interaction. They can share stories and experiences. We are able to talk through those situations and discuss how things could be handled differently or how the PATH Program could improve the situation and make the Caregiver's job less stressful."
The PATH Program was piloted in early 2026 and officially introduced across the franchise system at Griswold's national conference. The company is currently rolling out the program throughout the remainder of the year and is pursuing approval from the Alzheimer's Association.
As the aging population continues to grow, both Lepore and Harrison believe specialized dementia care will become increasingly important for families seeking alternatives to institutional care.
"With the growing population and the Baby Boomer generation, it's a ballooning population of folks who need our assistance in the home," Harrison said. "Our mission every day is to provide families and loved ones the support they need so they can live more comfortably at home. The families we've been interacting with are more educated and they have a clearer picture of what their options are. They can see where a program like this can provide relief for the Client and relief for the family as well."
Ultimately, PATH is designed to accomplish what many families hope for most: helping loved ones remain safe, comfortable, and independent for as long as possible.
"By utilizing the PATH Program, we can meet the Client where they are and preserve the level of independence they are currently capable of and prolong that," Harrison said. "We know their loved one is safe and secure. We are providing that level of interaction that is meaningful. We are really elevating their living situation in each one of their homes."
To find out more information on costs to buy a Griswold franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/griswold/info.
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