The first module engages users through the life story of Clara Jones, an 86-year-old woman living in a nursing home. By clicking on her scrapbook, users learn about her loving family, her role as a nurse in World War II, and her "first-place pies" at the local county fair. This module sets the stage for why it's so important to learn the background of people you care for so you can connect with them more easily each day—and truly take a person-centered approach.

Throughout the program, users hear from a variety of real people who care for those with dementia. Hearing the perspective of family members, nurses, doctors, and therapists helps everyone to gain a better understanding of what it takes to provide good care.

In the Introduction to Dementia module, users learn about the changes that happen in a person with dementia. On this screen, users can watch video examples of real people with dementia performing self-care activities at each of five stages of dementia. This comparison helps to clarify how a person's abilities change with the progression of dementia and how caregivers must adjust the amount and type of care at each stage.

The CARES® training program is not a passive learning experience. Frequent activities encourage users to apply what they have learned to a variety of situations. This type of critical thinking (analyzing possible causes, outcomes, and different approaches to situations) helps a person to learn and remember information.

Users are introduced to the CARES® Approach through a common caregiver dilemma—that of encouraging a person with dementia to take a bath or a shower. First users watch the "non-CARES Approach" shown here. Later in the module, users see the same caregiver using the CARES Approach to successfully accomplish a shower with the same person—and the effectiveness of the approach is immediately apparent.

Real-life examples of the CARES® Approach appear throughout the program, so that users can learn the technique and effectiveness of this approach first hand. Professional caregivers explain each step and point out the subtle aspects of this approach to help users polish their skills.