Baptist Retirement Homes of North Carolina building dementia care program

Baptist Retirement Homes of North Carolina Partners with Dementia Expert Rachael Wonderlin

Baptist Retirement Homes of North Carolina has teamed up with Rachael Wonderlin, founder of Dementia by Day, to develop a specialized dementia care program for Baptist Retirement Homes.

As part of this partnership, Rachael will hold an event at Brookridge on Thursday, March 24, from 4 – 5:30 p.m. The session, titled “What Do I Say When… How to Avoid Arguing with a Person Living with Dementia”, will be an interactive discussion where attendees can ask questions and gain valuable communication strategies.

"Our residents living with dementia and their families depend on our expertise and knowledge to enhance their lives. Rachael and her team are going to give us that ability, and becoming excellent in our approach with older adults experiencing cognitive loss is one of Baptist Retirement Homes' strategic initiatives. Rachael's proven track record and hands-on approach is exactly what we need to take our abilities to the next level," said Reed VanderSlik, president and CEO of Baptist Retirement Homes of North Carolina.

Key Takeaways from Rachael’s Upcoming Event:

✔ Tangible Solutions – Helping families walk away with real, practical strategies for dementia care communication.
✔ Reducing Caregiver Stress – Providing support and relief from the guilt, stress, and burnout associated with caregiving.
✔ Building a Stronger Dementia Program – Meeting the BRH team and families to tailor a unique, impactful dementia care program.

Rachael Wonderlin: A Leader in Dementia Care

Before founding Dementia by Day in 2014, Rachael served as a dementia care program coordinator and director at several senior living communities. She discovered her passion for aging care early on, stating, “I always loved working with older adults.”

Her journey began at Brookdale in Burlington, North Carolina, where she worked as a dementia care program coordinator and started documenting her experiences. "People kept telling me I should turn my stories into a book, and eventually, my blog became my first book," she shared.

Rachael’s expertise includes:

• A master’s degree in gerontology from UNC-Greensboro
• Hands-on experience at Penn Memory Center in Philadelphia
• Years of dementia care leadership and program development

Today, Rachael collaborates with senior living organizations for 6-12 months or longer, helping them design personalized dementia care programs, train staff, and hold workshops. She has also developed an online educational program that takes about five hours to complete, with a family portal in development to offer additional support for caregivers.

Brookridge Event: March 24 – Join the Conversation!

At the Brookridge event on March 24, Rachael will guide an engaging, interactive discussion on dementia care communication. She encourages attendees to come prepared with questions.

"I start writing down questions on the whiteboard. Most of the questions are ones a lot of people want to know the answers to," she explained. "Not everybody living with dementia has a memory problem. We’re enabling people to live safely and happily later in life while taking a lot of the burden off caregivers."

This event is an opportunity to gain practical strategies, emotional support, and professional guidance in dementia care. We look forward to seeing you there!