Dementia - Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

Outline

A three day course accredited to 'The Alzheimer's Society Dementia Care' covering the following areas.

The experience of people with dementia

• An insight into what the experience of dementia might like
• A recognition of dementia as an individual experience that cannot be generalised

What is dementia?

• A basic understanding of what dementia is.
• A basic understanding of dementia as a syndrome caused by a number of different conditions.
• An understanding that dementia will affect a person's memory, feelings, perceptions and ability to communicate.
• An insight into how the diagnosis is made.
• An understanding that individuals will be affected differently and will have different needs and experience.

The need for good communication

• The understanding that communication with people who have dementia is a two-way process.
  

• The recognition that we need time, patience and different techniques to help us to communicate better.
  

• The understanding that using a person-centred approach to care can help us to communicate more effectively with people who have dementia.

Life in the home

• Values and attitudes
• Activities of everyday life
• Supporting eating, drinking and personal care

Building and maintaining relationships

• The importance of building strong relationships with people who have dementia and their families.
• How good relationships can help a person retain their independence and enjoy an improved sense of well-being.
• The difficult issues that may arise in relationships between a person with dementia and their relatives, friends and care staff.

Understanding behaviour we find difficult

• An insight into how dementia may affect a person's behaviour.
• A recognition that certain situations can trigger 'difficult' behaviours.
• An understanding of how, by getting to know the person with dementia, participants can alleviate these triggers.
• Ideas for how they can understand and thereby reduce any 'difficult' behaviour at home or in the workplace.
  

Working together to make quality dementia care successful

• An insight into the importance of teamwork in improving the quality of care.
• A recognition of the role of teamwork in putting person-centred care into practice.
• The knowledge that everyone had something to contribute towards creating a better life in the home.