On-Demand CE Training
ODL 444: Dementia, Decision-Making, and Capacity: Understanding Neurocognitive Disorders
Please make sure to check with your own state board to ensure the transferability of CE credit for an asynchronous course. Some state boards may place restrictions regarding the modality of training required for ethics credits to be awarded. If this training indicates ethics credits are available, please verify that your state allows them to be earned through an on-demand course format.
Please note: This on-demand webinar is a replay of a live CE event. The format reflects the original presentation and may include live Q&A, transitions, and intermittent audio/visual fluctuations typical of a live recording.
1 CREDIT HOUR APPROVED FOR:
Social Workers
ASWB ACE – 1 Clinical CE credit
New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work – 1 Contact hour
Psychologists
APA – 1 CE credit
Counselors 1 Contact hour
NBCC ACEP – 1 Contact hour
New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners – 1 Contact hour
Addiction Professionals
NAADAC – Not eligible for Contact hour
Nurses
California Board of Registered Nursing – 1 Contact hour
Case Managers
CCMC – 1 CE Contact hour
Created On: 10/09/2026
Target Audience:
This course is targeted for social workers, psychologists, counselors, nurses and case managers.
Instructional Level:
Beginner
Overview:
Cognitive decline in senior living is not always caused by Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia-related symptoms can present in different ways depending on the underlying condition. This 1-hour training provides an introductory overview of common dementia-related conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia, Parkinson’s disease dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and potentially reversible medical or medication-related contributors.
Participants will explore how cognitive changes may affect memory, executive functioning, judgment, behavior, insight, communication, and decision-making capacity. Emphasis will be placed on practical and ethical considerations in senior living settings, including autonomy, informed consent, refusal of care, safety concerns, family communication, documentation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and when further medical, psychiatric, or neuropsychological evaluation may be needed.
Course Objectives:
By the end of the session, the participant will be able to:
- Identify common conditions that may contribute to dementia or dementia-like symptoms in older adults.
- Recognize how memory loss, executive dysfunction, behavioral changes, and fluctuating cognition may affect daily functioning and decision-making capacity.
- Describe practical and ethical strategies for supporting autonomy, safety, documentation, referral, and interdisciplinary care planning in senior living settings.
Presenter:
Christina Marsack-Topolewski, PhD, LMSW
Dr. Marsack-Topolewski has served as the lead principal investigator on multiple grant-funded programs tailoring services for individuals with disabilities and their caregivers. She is an appointed board member of the U.S. National Task Group (NTG) on Intellectual Disability and Dementia Practices. Dr. Marsack-Topolewski’s research has been featured on National Public Radio (NPR) and ABC News Detroit. Over the past five years, she testified before members of the Michigan Legislature to advocate for new laws that protect against the exploitation and abuse of adults with disabilities. Two of these house bills were signed into law in the state of Michigan in December 2023. In 2024, she received the Ronald W. Collins Distinguished Research Award for Research Excellence. In addition, she received the Arc of Oakland County’s Advocacy Hall of Fame Award in 2024. Outside of work, she loves spending time with her husband, their three daughters, and family and friends.