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Care Partner Skill Cards: Your Pocket Guide to Better Dementia Interactions

The Care Partner Skill Cards are a set of portable, snap-together cards designed to give you quick, practical reminders for responding to common dementia-related behaviors and challenges. They come on a lanyard or a springy clip so you can keep them handy wherever you go. This isn't about memorizing a manual—it's about having a real-time tool that helps you pause, shift your approach, and connect more calmly with your loved one, even in stressful moments.

Key points

  • The Care Partner Skill Cards are a portable, snap-together set of reminders for handling dementia-related behaviors, designed by Teepa Snow.
  • They work best when worn on a lanyard or clip so they are always within reach during stressful moments.
  • Each card gives a specific, actionable tip—like a phrase to say or a step to follow—based on the Positive Approach to Care philosophy.
  • Use the cards proactively, not just in crisis. Preview them when calm, and practice with other care partners for consistency.
  • Customize your set: remove cards that don't apply, add your own, and create a personal card with your loved one's preferences.
  • The cards are a tool for you, the caregiver, to change your own behavior. They are not for the person with dementia to read or follow.

What Are the Care Partner Skill Cards?

These cards are a physical, visual aid created by Teepa Snow's Positive Approach to Care. They are small, durable cards that snap together on a ring, so you can easily add, remove, or rearrange them as your situation changes. You can wear them on a lanyard around your neck or clip them to a bag or belt loop with the springy device, making them always within reach. The idea is simple: when you're in the middle of a difficult moment—like a refusal to bathe, agitation, or confusion—you can glance at a card for a quick, evidence-based reminder of what to do next.

Why They Work: The Science of 'Positive Approach to Care'

The cards are built on Teepa Snow's Positive Approach to Care (PAC) philosophy, which emphasizes that dementia changes a person's abilities, not their worth. The approach focuses on awareness, skill-building, and adapting your own communication and body language. The cards translate that science into bite-sized actions: for example, a card might remind you to lower your voice, slow your movements, or offer a choice between two options instead of asking an open-ended question. This is not about 'fixing' the person with dementia—it's about changing your own approach to reduce their distress and your own frustration.

How They Fit Into Your Caregiving Toolkit

The Skill Cards are one part of a larger set of resources. Teepa Snow also offers videos (like 'Positive Approach to Care Pack Skills Make the Difference'), Champion courses, and mentoring hours to deepen your skills. The cards are a starting point—a way to practice in the moment. They are especially useful for new caregivers who feel overwhelmed, or for experienced caregivers who need a quick refresher during a tough day. They also work well as a teaching tool for other family members, friends, or even paid aides who may not have formal dementia training.

General caregiving information, not medical advice. Check medications and major care changes with your clinician.

Step-by-step

  1. Attach the cards to your lanyard or clip so they are always on you, and when calm, flip through every card once to learn what topics and tips are available.

  2. In a challenging moment, take a slow breath, find the matching card, and do what it says—pause three seconds, offer two choices, or use gentle touch on the arm.

  3. After each interaction, notice what worked, swap out cards that no longer fit, and start glancing at the relevant card before predictable hard moments like bathing.

  4. Share the cards with other care partners and practice together during a calm moment to build a shared language and consistent approach.

  5. If a card's technique isn't working, watch Teepa's related video (e.g., 'Time with Teepa—Dementia Simulations') to see it demonstrated, then try again.

What not to do

  • Do NOT hand the cards to the person with dementia or expect them to read or follow them—the cards are for you, the care partner, to change your own behavior.

  • Do NOT try to use all the cards at once; pick one or two that address your biggest current challenge, or you'll end up more overwhelmed.

  • Do NOT dismiss the cards because you think you 'should know this already'—even experienced caregivers forget basics under stress.

  • Do NOT read the cards aloud in front of the person with dementia—the instructions are for your eyes, and reading aloud can confuse or upset them.

Practical tools

  • Approach Card: First Words and Body Language

    Approach from the front, at eye level, with a warm smile. Say: 'Hi, Mom. I'm going to help you with your sweater now. Let's do it together.' Avoid commands like 'We need to get dressed' which trigger resistance.

  • Redirection Card: Shifting the Focus

    When the person is fixated on a repeated question: 1) Name the feeling—'I hear you're worried about going home.' 2) Offer a sensory distraction—'Let's look at this photo album.' 3) Use a gentle hand touch to guide them toward the new activity.

  • Bathing Card: Setting Up the Room

    Warm the room first, gather all supplies before starting, use a washcloth instead of a shower spray, and offer a towel to hold for security. Narrate: 'I'm going to wash your back now. It will feel warm.' Keep water temperature consistent and never rush.

  • Wandering Card: Check Needs, Then Walk With

    First check for hunger, thirst, pain, or bathroom need. Then offer a purposeful activity like folding towels. If they insist on leaving, validate and walk alongside: 'You want to go for a walk. Let's walk together to the kitchen and have a snack first.'

  • Mealtime Card: Offer, Don't Ask

    Offer one food at a time on a small plate. Say: 'Here is a piece of chicken. It's soft.' Avoid open questions like 'What do you want to eat?'—hold up two options: 'Do you want the peas or the carrots?' Use a calm, sing-song voice.

  • Emergency Card: Custom Quick-Reference

    A card you make yourself reading: 'In case of emergency, call [name and number]. Person has dementia. Do not leave them alone. Use a calm voice. Do not argue.' Helpful for new aides or when in public.

  • Hand-Under-Hand Card: Helping Without Grabbing

    Slide your hand palm-up under the person's hand, rather than reaching over the top to grab. This keeps their wrist free, signals partnership, and reduces startle or resistance—useful for guiding a comb, fork, toothbrush, or step.

Discuss with your clinician

If your loved one's behavior includes aggression that puts you or them at risk of injury, discuss with a doctor whether medication adjustments or a psychiatric referral is needed. The cards are not a substitute for medical intervention in dangerous situations.

If your loved one has difficulty swallowing (dysphagia), ask a speech therapist or doctor for safe swallowing techniques before using any mealtime card suggestions. Choking is a serious risk.

If your loved one is on medications that affect mood or behavior (e.g., antipsychotics, antidepressants), review any changes in behavior with the prescribing clinician before assuming the cards will work. Medication side effects can mimic dementia symptoms.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, depressed, or have thoughts of harming yourself or your loved one, tell your doctor immediately. Caregiver burnout is a medical emergency. The cards are a support tool, not a replacement for professional mental health care.

Related guides

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