Based in the West Austin area, Memory Caregiver Academy of Austin has spent four years training local high school students how to care for people with dementia.

With an average of 30 students a year, the nonprofit has offered services across various campuses in the Austin area and nearby cities.

How we got here

In 2001, founder and active director Debbie Wilder launched a respite program for community members with dementia. The program operated for about 20 years before shutting down during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I started getting phone calls from all the caregivers needing some extra help at home because they couldn't take their family members anywhere,” Wilder said. “I kept thinking, ‘Gosh, we need to do something to get some more caregivers out there.’”
Students are taken to nearby memory care facilities to apply what they've learned with community members. (Courtesy Memory Caregiver Academy of Austin)
Students are taken to nearby memory care facilities to apply what they've learned with community members. (Courtesy Memory Caregiver Academy of Austin)
The impact


Marketing and outreach support specialist Rose Berg said the nonprofit typically works in underserved communities with larger Spanish-speaking populations, including areas in North Austin and East Austin.

This January the organization is partnering with Northeast Early College High School, Manor Senior High School and Summit Christian Academy in Cedar Park.

Throughout the training, students are shown videos created by Wilder and her team. The videos express tips on how to be empathetic and patient with people experiencing memory loss, including simplifying daily routines.

“People experiencing this kind of memory loss might see things that aren't true and you don't ever correct them,” Wilder said. “You just say, ‘Oh OK, yeah, that's great. I didn't know that it was raining outside when it's a perfectly sunny day.’ So, it's really just emphasizing that kind of support.”
Students receive a certificate at the end of the training which can be added to their resumes. (Courtesy Memory Caregiver Academy of Austin)
Students receive a certificate at the end of the training which can be added to their resumes. (Courtesy Memory Caregiver Academy of Austin)
After students watch the two video series, an instructor visits the class to work with the students before the class begins taking trips to nearby memory care facilities.


“We have placed a number of students in memory care facilities after they finish the course and a number of them just have family members that they're still caring for at home,” Wilder said.

Get involved

The nonprofit also operates a mentoring program where individuals with experience caring for people with memory loss can guide students through resume building, figure out additional training and more.

Community members can also find volunteer opportunities at the organization’s events. Volunteer activities may include setting up, handing out supplies, cleaning and more.