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.

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.

On this screen, users have the chance to try the first step of the CARES® Approach by reviewing background information about a particular woman and deciding how they would "connect" with her. Clicking Check Answer gives users immediate feedback, so they can find out how well they understand the material—and it reinforces concepts.

Users have the chance to select and ask questions of nurses, aides, family members, and other caregivers through this video interview approach. A "Conduct an Interview" exercise is included for all core topics.

In this "Evaluate What Works" activity (the "E" step in the CARES® Approach) users have the chance to "evaluate" video footage of a real-life situation with a caregiver. Periodically, the video pauses and the user is asked to rank how well the caregiver's approach is working. Users are given immediate feedback to their answer when the video resumes.