Positive Approach to Care

What Positive Approach to Care does

Positive Approach to Care (PAC), founded in 2007 by dementia care specialist Teepa Snow and operating as Positive Approach, LLC from Efland and Hillsborough, North Carolina, is a private dementia care education and certification company. It serves three primary segments — family and friend care partners, healthcare and senior living professionals, and care organizations (home care agencies, senior living, hospital systems, academic and government institutions) — through a portfolio built around the proprietary "Snow Approach" methodology. Core intellectual property includes trademarked care techniques (Hand-under-Hand®, Positive Physical Approach™, Positive Personal Connections, Positive Action Starters) and the GEMS® States of Brain Change Model (six-stage ability-based progression), all developed by Snow over 40+ years of occupational therapy and clinical practice. Content is delivered via a self-serve e-commerce storefront (shop.teepasnow.com), a HIPAA-compliant organizational LMS (PATHS), and a distributed PAC Certified Community of independent trainers, coaches, educators, and mentors who deliver content regionally.

The product portfolio spans a free Dementia Basics online course, Champion Courses at $140, a four-tier professional certification ladder (Champion → Educator → Trainer → Coach) with annual recertification fees, five specialty certifications (PAC-P, PAC-ATC, PAC-CPE, PAC-N, PAL), and a four-tier organization designation program (Aware, Knowledgeable, Skilled, Competent) with annual fees starting at $250 and biennial site visit fees of $2,500. PAC also operates books, DVDs, and streaming video products, corporate training and speaker engagements ($1,000/hour virtual; $7,500/day in-person), and high-touch VIP Elite Concierge memberships priced $58,000–$250,000 annually. Revenue is generated through one-time course sales, recurring subscription/recertification fees, content licensing royalties to third-party platforms (Medbridge, Relias, Trualta, Care Academy), paid sponsorship (e.g., Senior Helpers), and premium consulting.

The business model is bootstrapped and founder-led with no external funding, 11–50 employees, and an international claim spanning the US, Canada, and global engagements via channel partners. Go-to-market combines enterprise field sales (designation, corporate training, VIP concierge), community-led growth through the PAC Certified Community, self-serve e-commerce, and earned media anchored by Teepa Snow's national media presence (TODAY, People Magazine, NPR, Wall Street Journal, Viewpoint with Dennis Quaid). Self-reported outcomes cite 90%+ of certification participants rating the program 5 out of 5 stars and a monthly Online Dementia Journal reaching 20,000+ readers.

Name

Positive Approach to Care

Legal name

Positive Approach, LLC

Website

https://teepasnow.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Positive Approach to Care is a private dementia care education company founded in 2007 by Teepa Snow, offering proprietary Snow Approach training, a four-tier professional certification ladder, organizational designation programs, and VIP consulting to family care partners, healthcare professionals, and care organizations in the US and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dementia Care Training and Education

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Health Care and Social Assistance (62)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Caregiver Support, Coaching & Training (HLADALAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family Caregiver Coaching, Education & Support (HSABAIAI)

Keywords

• Dementia care training
• Caregiver certification programs
• Dementia education services
• Professional elder care training
• Dementia care consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Efland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Certifications and Training: PAC offers a tiered certification program (Tier 1 Dementia Champion through Tier 4 Dementia Coach) for professionals, with online and in-person options. Revenue is generated through course enrollment fees, certification exam fees, annual membership fees, and digital badge costs. Additional specialty certifications (PAC-P, PAC-ATC, PAC-CPE, PAC-N, PAL) are sold individually.
2. Public Courses and Champion Courses: Live online and in-person Champion Courses (4-hour hands-on skills courses) priced at $140 per participant. Online certification demonstrations and quiz attempts generate per-transaction revenue.
3. Products (Books, DVDs, Care Tools): PAC operates an e-commerce storefront (shop.teepasnow.com) selling books authored by Teepa Snow (Understanding the Changing Brain, Dementia Care Partner Guide, Relationships Guidebook), DVDs and streaming video content, care partner tools, and bundled value sets.
4. Corporate Training and Speaker Engagements: PAC speakers are booked for organizational events at $1,000/hour for online webinars and $7,500/day plus travel expenses for in-person events. Custom corporate training programs are also offered.
5. VIP Concierge Memberships: High-touch private consulting memberships with Teepa Snow or Master Coaches, priced from $58,000 to $250,000 depending on tier and duration. Includes bi-weekly video conferences, in-person visits, direct consultant access, and guided online program access.
6. Consulting Services: Phone/Zoom consultations with PAC Certified Consultants. The first 30-minute consultation is complimentary; subsequent paid sessions are available through PAC Coaches or Consultants. Care Partner Support Series (5-week virtual group series) provides ongoing coaching revenue.
7. Organization Designation Programs: Organizations achieve PAC designation status (Aware, Knowledgeable, Skilled, Competent levels) through annual fees ($250/year for Aware level plus $2,500 biennial site visit fee) and benefit from product/service discounts.
8. Content Licensing and Bulk Products: PAC licenses video content for organizational LMS use and sells bulk product packages at discounted rates to care facilities, home care agencies, and training organizations. A PATHS HIPAA-compliant scalable system is available for organizations with their own LMS.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Positive Approach to Care (PAC) develops and delivers dementia care education, training, and certification programs built around the proprietary Snow Approach methodology created by occupational therapist Teepa Snow. The company sells tiered professional certifications, hands-on Champion Courses, books and streaming videos, organizational designation programs, corporate speaking engagements, and premium VIP concierge consulting services to family caregivers, healthcare professionals, and care organizations.

Product overview

Positive Approach to Care (PAC) is a dementia care education company offering a comprehensive portfolio of training programs, certifications, books, videos, and consulting services built around the Snow Approach methodology developed by Teepa Snow. The core offering includes PAC Skills (Hand-under-Hand, Positive Physical Approach, Positive Personal Connections, Positive Action Starters) and the GEMS States of Brain Change model. Education programs span from complimentary Dementia Basics courses and affordable Champion Courses ($140) to premium VIP Elite Consulting ($100,000-$250,000/year). Professional certifications progress through four tiers (Champion, Educator, Trainer, Coach) plus specialty certifications (Practitioner, Acceptor, Pin Evaluator, Navigator, PAL). The company also provides organizational designation programs recognizing facilities at Aware, Knowledgeable, Skilled, and Competent levels, alongside books, streaming videos, speaking engagements, and support groups for families and professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Snow Approach: A trademarked care methodology developed by Teepa Snow that provides practical techniques for dementia care based on understanding brain changes
• GEMS States of Brain Change
• PAC Skills
• Champion Courses
• PAC Concierge

Products and services

• Snow Approach / PAC Skills Methodology A series of practical dementia care techniques developed by Teepa Snow that improve caregiver interactions with people living with dementia, including Hand-under-Hand, Positive Physical Approach, Positive Personal Connections, and Positive Action Starters.
• Champion Courses Foundational 4-hour hands-on courses (Courses 1-4) teaching practical physical and communication skills using the Snow Approach techniques for family caregivers and professionals.
• PAC Certified Dementia Champion (Tier 1) Entry-level professional certification building foundational dementia awareness and communication skills, enabling demonstration and explanation of Snow Approach care methods.
• PAC Certified Dementia Educator (Tier 2) Certification equipping professionals to teach and lead inservices, facilitate group discussions, and share PAC content within organizations or communities.
• PAC Certified Dementia Trainer (Tier 3) Advanced certification for delivering dynamic workshops that help participants build skill, confidence, and compassion in dementia care settings.
• PAC Certified Dementia Coach (Tier 4) Highest-level professional certification focusing on real-time observation, feedback, and support to help care partners and teams apply Snow Approach skills in practice.
• Teepa Snow Inspired Certifications (TSIC) Online self-study certification courses demonstrating knowledge of dementia and Snow Approach techniques through quizzes for those who have attended PAC mentor-led courses.
• PAC Positive Approach to Leadership (PAL) Live in-person course for leading organizational culture transformation using PAC's Six Pieces of the Puzzle framework for responsive, relationship-focused care systems.
• PAC Organization Designation Program Four-tier organizational certification program (Aware, Knowledgeable, Skilled, Competent) recognizing care facilities and agencies demonstrating PAC implementation excellence through annual fees and biennial site visits.
• VIP Elite Concierge Consulting (Tiers 1 and 2) High-touch private consulting memberships with Teepa Snow or dedicated PAC Master Coaches, offering bi-weekly video conferences, direct text access, and three annual in-person visits, priced $58,000-$250,000 depending on tier and duration.
• PAC Speakers (Corporate Speaking) Trained PAC motivational speakers providing virtual events at $1,000/hour or in-person events at $7,500/day plus travel for organizations seeking dementia care education.
• Phone/Zoom Consulting Consultations with PAC Certified Consultants to explore strategies for dementia care situations, with first 30 minutes complimentary and subsequent paid sessions available.
• Care Partner Support Series A 5-week virtual series where caregivers meet and learn alongside others while gaining practical dementia care skills and connecting with peers.
• Dementia Basics Course A complimentary 9-lesson online course helping caregivers improve communication when interacting with people living with dementia, covering early signs, brain changes, and intentional interactions.
• Understanding the Changing Brain (Book) Book by Teepa Snow explaining how dementia affects the brain and impacts the person in care.
• Dementia Care Partner Guide (Book) Guidebook helping caregivers understand changes that come with advancing dementia to provide better support and care.
• Relationships Guidebook Book by Teepa Snow on strengthening connections with all people, including children, adults, and those living with dementia.
• A Family's Journey Through Dementia (Streaming Video) Streaming video play demonstrating how the Snow Approach changes one's care reality, available for streaming purchase.
• PAC Skills Make the Difference (Streaming Video) Streaming video demonstrating and breaking down Teepa's hands-on care techniques for caregivers.
• Encouragement Notebook (Care Tool) Practical tool designed to simplify day-to-day caregiving activities for care partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90% of PAC Certification participants rate the program 5 out of 5 stars
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Senior HelpersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSenior Helpers is a paid sponsor and partner organization. PAC provides dementia care training content and co-branded content for Senior Helpers' franchise network of home care services. The partnership positions Senior Helpers as a dementia-capable home care provider using PAC methodology.
• MedbridgecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedbridge is a royalty client distributing PAC training content through its healthcare education platform. Teepa Snow's courses are available to Medbridge's professional healthcare audience, expanding PAC's reach into continuing education and professional development markets.
• ReliascoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRelias is a royalty client distributing PAC content through its healthcare and senior care learning management platform. This partnership enables PAC content to reach a broad base of care facilities and home care agencies on a widely-used industry LMS platform.
• TrualtacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTrualta is a royalty client that integrates PAC content into its family caregiver toolkit. The partnership provides family caregivers with access to PAC techniques and training through Trualta's digital platform.
• Care AcademycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCare Academy is a royalty client distributing PAC dementia care training content to its network of caregiver training clients. The partnership supports PAC's reach into home care agency workforce development.
• Saltbox TV & Positive Approach to CareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSaltbox TV is a PAC Affiliate providing content distribution and marketing support for PAC's educational materials and programs.
• Holistic CaringminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHolistic Caring is a PAC Affiliate partner, likely providing complementary holistic care services alongside PAC dementia training content.
• AlertaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAlerta is a PAC Affiliate partner, likely operating in the dementia or senior care space in a complementary capacity.
• Senior HelpersminorOthersSenior Helpers also appears as a Paid Sponsor, indicating a commercial promotional relationship beyond standard content licensing.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Relias: Large healthcare and senior-care learning management platform that licenses PAC content via royalty. As a broad incumbent in healthcare workforce education, Relias competes for the same enterprise training budgets while also serving as a distribution channel for PAC.
• Alzheimer's Association: Largest US nonprofit focused on Alzheimer's and dementia education, advocacy, and caregiver support. Operates a competing (free) dementia education and training ecosystem targeting the same family caregivers and professional audiences PAC serves.

Direct peers

• Medbridge: Healthcare professional education platform that distributes PAC content as a royalty client. Medbridge is a direct peer because it sells continuing-education and certification-style training to the same healthcare professional audience PAC targets with its Tier 1-4 certifications.
• Trualta: Family caregiver training and support platform that integrates PAC content. Directly comparable business model: digital training and education aimed at family caregivers, serving the same end-customer segment as PAC's Family and Friends Care Partners segment.
• Care Academy: Online caregiver training platform for home care agencies. Care Academy is a direct peer in caregiver workforce training and is also a PAC royalty client, making it both a comparable competitor and a distribution partner.
• National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners (NCDDP): Certification body offering the Certified Dementia Practitioner (CDP) credential to healthcare professionals. Closely comparable to PAC's Tier 1-4 certification stack as the most established competing dementia-care certification program for the same professional audience.

Emerging players

• Senior Helpers: National home care franchise network that is both a PAC partner (paid sponsor, co-branded content) and a potential competing dementia-capable home care provider. Comparability is partial: Senior Helpers delivers services using PAC content rather than competing on training directly.
• CaringBridge: Nonprofit platform supporting family caregivers and people facing health conditions, with overlap on the family caregiver support use case PAC addresses through its Care Partner Support Series and Dementia Basics course.

Regional players

• Dementia UK: UK-based charity providing dementia specialist Admiral Nurses and caregiver education. Comparable offering in dementia caregiver training and support, but operates primarily in the UK rather than directly competing in PAC's US core market.

Others

• Home Care CEO Forum / Stephen Tweed: Industry community and research firm in the home care space whose CEO publicly endorses PAC certifications. It is an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor, comparable as a referral channel and thought-leader in PAC's professional audience.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSXrEX7LkWOmfTaV6u1C7wQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/teepasnows.pac
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/positive-approach-llc
• Instagraminstagram.com/teepasnows_pac
• Pinterestpinterest.com/positiveapproach

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Positive Approach to Care