Arizona Is Raising the Bar for Dementia Care — Here’s What You Need to Know

Starting July 1, 2025, Arizona will roll out a new set of standards for dementia care in memory care and assisted living communities. These changes were approved earlier this month and are designed to improve the safety, training, and overall care experience for individuals living with dementia.

As someone who has worked in this field for many years, I see this as a positive and necessary step for our state.

What’s Changing?

• Training Requirements
  All memory care staff will now need to complete 8 hours of dementia-specific training, up from the previous 4 hours.
  Assisted Living Managers will also be required to complete an additional 4 hours of leadership-focused dementia training.

• Safety and Accountability
  New protocols will be in place to help prevent elopement (wandering), and facilities must report certain incidents within 24 hours.
  More regular site inspections will also be conducted to ensure compliance and improve transparency.

These updates come after months of public meetings and collaboration with families, caregivers, advocacy organizations, and providers across Arizona. While there are concerns from some care facilities about the costs and logistics, most agree that this is a critical step toward ensuring better care for our aging population.

At Academy On-Demand, we’re already aligning our training programs to reflect these new state requirements. Whether you're a caregiver, a manager, or a facility leader— We are super excited to offer a training solution in a membership program... more details to come very soon!

With respect and care,

Laura Oldaker
Founder, Academy On-Demand