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By Santina Piazzese Spratte, Research and Product Strategist at Almaya In life, and more so when a relative is experiencing…
Compassionate Touch was initially created in 1991 out of the experience of massage therapist Dawn Nelson. She became aware of…
This year the “Authorized Center for Validation, Diakonissen Speyer” turned 20 years old. This means that my colleagues and I…
The first time I heard about Validation, I did not automatically understand what was meant with that word. I thought…
Being a son of Naomi Feil, it’s not a surprise that I was raised with older adults always in my…
Many residential care and memory care communities for older adults say that they work in a ‘person-centered’ way. But how…
Validation is a way of connecting and communicating with older adults living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. While the…
Have you heard of The Human Library (HLO)? This nonprofit organization was created by a Dane named Ronni Abergel in…
One of the things I’ve learned from psychologists and from life experience – I can’t change other people no matter…
I recently read a most instructive opinion article in the New York Times called, “We Need to Process What We’ve…
I read recently that there is a sharp rise in demand for services by pet trainers to help COVID puppies…
Throughout my life, I have always enjoyed the company of older people. I’ve enjoyed learning about their lives and history…
Do you start your day with a little less bounce in your step and coast along half concentrating through the…
Those of us who have downsized in the last few years have a shared experience: we had been holding on…
After over a year of experiencing the isolation and separation that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, for many families and…
I am sitting at my home computer creating my 35th blog for the Validation Training Institute and noting that it…
If you can, read an excellent article written by journalist Katie Engelhart for the February 21, 2020 edition of The…
As the global coronavirus pandemic unfolded over the past year, each passing month meant more time isolated from family and…
I was recently stunned to see a CDC finding cited in a Washington Post article that 4 out of 10…
Some of you have been on high alert caring for others during a full year of pandemic worries. You have…
In the fall of 1997, I read about Validation for the first time in a “Basics of Gerontology” course. I…
Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D., offers this insight in her 1994 book entitled Kitchen Table Wisdom: “ ‘Human Being’ is more…
So many people have sought emotional support during the pandemic. Many are living alone or sheltering in place with children…
To validate, according to dictionary.com, means to confirm or substantiate; documents can be validated by a stamp, emotions can be…
A few months ago I wrote about the value of intergenerational activities and mentioned an anecdote about a young teen…
I read a short article in the NY Times Magazine November 29, 2020 by Malia Wollan called “How to Get…
January is here. The snow is falling while the virus is still rising. More of us are confined largely to…
In the United States we have been transfixed by a sitting President who refuses to accept the results of an…
Wherever you live today, you cannot escape online disinformation and trolling. Such efforts to persuade and provoke are based on…
We are beginning the season of Thanksgiving, which may be bitter sweet for many people this year. The toll of…
During this summer we had the opportunity to drive six hours each way to spend time with our daughter, son-in-law,…
I am writing this blog on a Tuesday in mid-October. Outside my window the trees are full of vibrant colors…
One thing we have learned from this current pandemic is there are many ways to learn and grow. While some…
Sometimes we feel like no one is really listening to us; no one is taking our concerns seriously. Ask any…
All of us have experienced the discomfort and embarrassment caused by socially awkward situations. You run into your old boyfriend…
If you are like me and my family, you have experienced repeatedly the disappointment associated with cancelling big events, travel…
I read recently about a new low cost blood test to diagnose Alzheimer’s disease which could be available for clinical…
The phrase “in the moment” is thrown around in many different contexts and elicits opposing reactions from me. I hear…
Every day we are faced with new dilemmas imposed on us by the COVID-19 pandemic. Even what seemed like simple…
Although I am writing this blog in late June and much of the summer still lies ahead, a great deal…
Where is the first place you wish you could go when it is safe to do so? What do you…
Like many of you, I look back with disappointment at the canceled trips we had planned to take in the…
I recently followed a long thread of comments on a Facebook neighborhood group about a turtle found wandering along a…
The words “empathy,” “compassion,” and “sympathy” are often used interchangeably, but are they the same? Yes and no. Empathy is…
The COVID-19 pandemic has unleashed many other evils in the world, much like the mythical box which Pandora opened. Some…
There are millions of adult caregivers in the world who dedicate much of their time and strength to others. Whether…
Like all non-profit organizations, the Validation Training Institute has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic and challenged in many…
The world news is dominated by a huge dilemma: When will it be safe to reopen the stricken economy? Denmark…
We are surrounded by heroes every day, ordinary people doing extraordinary work to help others, especially now in the midst…
The ability to discern time and place is a bedrock of civilized life, anchoring us to reality. When we say:…
I hear the word “ faith” used around me more than ever these days: “I don’t have faith in our…
I have been thinking how different cultural norms affect societal behavior as the world is trying to cope with the …
It is April 10 and Good Friday for those who practice Catholicism; Passover for the Jewish people. It is a…
At this strange time, filled with great difficulties for many people, it’s important to remember CENTERING Centering will help you…
As I look back at 2019, I am amazed by all the new developments and the incredible work put in…
Today, the Validation Training Institute is kicking off its 2019 Fall Fundraiser! This year our theme is “12 Days of…
Editor’s Note: The VTI would not be where it is today without the support of our hardworking supporters who contribute…
Il 4 e 5 aprile 2019 Cinzia Siviero, del gruppo AGAPE AVO, e le colleghe Rita D’Alfonso e Manuela Graziani,…
Last month, the Validation Training Institute earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar. VTI is proud to have earned…
From an early age as I used to visit family members who lived in nursing homes, I got the sense…
We are so proud of the collaboration between the design team, Twig Interactive, and VTI staff in creating a website…
We are happy to announce the formation of a free Beginning Validation Support Group for people who have attended a…
Editor’s Note: This month Scott Averill, CEO of Brookside Retirement Center and Certified Group Practitioner, is our guest blogger. He…
by Naomi Feil Case One Non-verbal behavior or body language: Jessie H. sits upright in her wheelchair. Her bright blue…
We are excited to announce our Reconnect with Older Adults with Dignity and Purpose fundraising campaign. Starting today on #GivingTuesday…
As a psycho-geriatric nurse specialized in working with people who have #Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, I constantly hear the…
New AVO in Japan By Vicki de Klerk-Rubin The editor wishes to thank the Japan AVO for generously submitting the…
Editor’s Note: The Validation Training Institute (VTI) Board is comprised of 12 people. The VTI would not be where it…
The VTI Board is made up of volunteers who love and support the Validation method and Naomi Feil, its founder.…
Validation was first introduced in 2004 by one of the great pioneers in Validation, Maria Grossenbacher. Since then, certification courses…
Editor’s note: I’d like to thank Naomi Feil, M.S.W., A.C.S.W., the developer of Validation for writing this months blog. If…
By Vicki de Klerk-Rubin I knock on Mrs. Fowler’s apartment door, knowing that she hates me. Well, not me but…
The Geriatric Unit in the Evangelical Hospital in Bad Dürkheim (Germany) is the first hospital geriatric unit to receive a…
Editor’s note: Thanks to Jackie Schoenbaum, CVW for sharing her touching story with us and giving us permission to post…
We are delighted to announce the Validation Training Institute’s fall fundraising campaign! The Validation Training Institute (VTI) was founded in…
Editor’s Note: The Validation Training Institute (VTI) Board is comprised of 10 people. The VTI would not be where it…
Editor’s Note: The following short story was submitted to VTI by Scott Averill, CEO and co-owner of three Kansas-based older…
The Validation Training Institute will start a free Beginning Validation support group in September. This group will provide support to…
“When eating a fruit, think of the person who planted the tree.” – Vietnamese Proverb What a lovely quote, beautiful…
The long-standing professional partnership between VTI founder Naomi Feil and her husband, retired filmmaker Ed Feil, has led to a…
Editor’s Note: This month, we hear from two familiar voices: VTI Executive Director Vicki de Klerk-Rubin and her mother, Validation…
CEO: ‘I truly don’t think I would be working in the field of long-term care…if I had not run across…
The nonprofit invites Validation Presenters and Teachers who have maintained continuing education and supervision requirements to join the new list,…
Editor’s Note: The Validation Training Institute (VTI) will offer a free, monthly online “Validation Support Group” that starts on Feb.…
Validation Teacher Olga Lavault is partnering with VTI to offer a monthly support group for Validation practitioners worldwide. Are you…
For more than 20 years, VTI President Fran Bulloff has contributed a wide variety of professional skills coupled with lots…
Older adult care company provides critical support for VTI’s recent ‘I Validate to Connect’ campaign, including a $2,500 donation and…
IEQ Technology in Springfield, Ore., steps up to help VTI with technology services. Editor’s note: The Validation Training Institute (VTI)…
The 2016 “I Validate to Connect” campaign officially ended on Oct. 15. This was VTI’s first fundraising/advocacy campaign, and a…
DONATE TODAY AT: https://www.generosity.com/medical-fundraising/2016-i-validate-to-connect-campaign–2/x/13057744 Validation makes a difference. Just ask G. Michael Leader, CEO of Country Meadows Retirement Communities. Meridian Senior…
The Validation Training Institute will end its first “I Validate to Connect” (#IValidate2Connect) campaign in a little more than 10 days on…
There are just two days left to participate in our “Caregiver Chew & Chat Week,” which started Saturday and runs until this…
The “I Validate to Connect”(#IValidate2Connect) campaign launched last week, and we are off to a wonderful start thanks to our generous…
UPDATE (Sept. 26, 2016): The ‘Worker’ course mentioned in this article has been re-scheduled from Oct. 3 to a date to…
The ‘I Validate to Connect’ campaign seeks to raise $20,000 to support caregivers and older adults with various forms of…
The Validation Training Institute’s first “Caregiver Chew & Chat Week” runs from Sept. 24-30, 2016. The week is one of…
If you’ve been considering Validation certification but were not sure what to expect, the Validation Training Institute’s (VTI) free “teaser”…
The Validation Training Institute (VTI) recently celebrated an historic and important first: the certification of Validation workers in China. (L-R) LUO…
Validation Training Institute (VTI) Founder Naomi Feil and VTI Executive Director Vicki de Klerk will present an exclusive workshop in…
The Validation Training Institute recently named a care center for older adults in Western France as the country’s first recipient…
Welcome to the Validation Training Institute blog, and thanks for visiting. This may be the only posting for a little…
Get VTI news from around the globe, clinical columns from founder Naomi Feil, tips and links to help you improve communication with older adults living with dementia.