Support through consultation, care management, direct companionship, and training.
About Teri
As the founder of Skoog Dementia Support LLC, Teri Skoog is passionate about walking alongside individuals and families on their path of the dementia journey. She holds a BA in Social Work and Aging Studies from the University of Iowa and has over 30 years of experience in the field of eldercare.
In addition to her professional credentials, Teri was a caregiver for her mom when she was diagnosed and later died from Diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and Vascular dementia. Teri’s personal and professional experience inspired her to walk in the community with empathetic care partners and companions who support their loved ones to age in place.
Teri is a DAWN® Dementia Care Specialist and a DAWN® Trainer. Throughout her interactions over the years, Teri has incorporated many models of dementia care into her work. Still, she believes none of them have addressed the true understanding of those experiencing the condition with more dignity and insight than The DAWN® Method.
This Habilitative approach is an experiential rather than a biomedical model. It represents the purest form of person-centered, person-directed care. The DAWN® Method shifts the attention of the individual experiencing dementia and their caregivers away from symptoms, disease management, and what is lost. Instead, it focuses on emotions, well-being, and retained skills.
The Seven DAWN® tools are based on strengths and possibilities instead of suffering. The Habilitative, strength-based care approach recognizes that any behaviors associated with changes to thinking, memory, and attention skills are normal reactions of the distress anyone would experience when undergoing a progressive decline and not a symptom of dementia. Strength-based care accepts altered realities, looks at ways to adjust the environment for safety while retaining autonomy, and strives to meet the emotional and well-being needs of the individual.
Jonathan
“Teri is a very clear and thorough teacher. She has obviously contemplated the DAWN material quite deeply, so she’s never just repeating what she was taught, but rather teaching from lived experience. Her presentations are always grounded in examples from her own experience as a practitioner. In this way, none of the ideas presented seem abstract or academic; they’re always applicable to our role as caregivers. Her intelligence, compassion, and sense of humor make the classes a pleasure to participate in. Teri is an excellent teacher of DAWN; I hope many more people have the benefit of working with her."
Jodie and Rob
"During our journey to find out the best health care path for my mom, Teri was a great source of knowledge. Her extensive understanding of patient rights and experience with the multiple levels of care available in the community is a valuable resource. She offered support and information in a compassionate yet direct manner giving us the tools to be a successful advocate during all my mom’s transitional phases. We are thankful for her help.."
Kat
“Teri has a great awareness of services available in the community that can bring care and support into the home. We were a busy family in crisis and needed direction and help to maintain dignity and safety for my grandpa. In a short timeframe Teri managed connections with insurance representatives, The Veterans Administration, a home care agency, a memory health care team, and a legal advocate. Her ability to quickly sort out clear resources best suited for our needs helped us get to the right care at the right time. Having a plan in place gave us the peace of mind knowing we were doing our best to keep grandpa and grandma together in their home. We appreciate Teri for her kindness and her skills in helping us make respectful decisions and safe community connections.”