Caring for People with Dementia

This e-learning course has been developed for anyone who is new to, will soon be involved in, or is currently involved in caring for someone with dementia, whether within the family or as a professional, either at home or as part of a team in a residential facility.

Learners will find out about the meaning of the term dementia, its causes and the possible effects the condition may have on people as it progresses. The course also looks at the importance of good communication and interaction between carers and the people they support and identifies strategies for coping with challenging behaviour.

The online materials include quizzes and activities to help reinforce learning as students work through the course.

Unit Titles

> How to Use the Course
> What is Dementia?
> Improving Communication
> Day-to-Day Care
> Responding to Challenging Behaviour
> Activities and Exercise
> Late-Stage Care

Unit 2: defines the term 'dementia' and identifies its main causes. In this unit learners look at the different stages involved in the condition and identify the types of care that a person might need at each stage. The unit concludes by considering why tracking the progression of the condition is so important for everyone concerned.

Unit 3: looks at why good communication between the carer and a person with dementia has such a positive impact on every aspect of the latter's daily life. This unit provides pointers for improving communication skills in different situations, and with people at different stages of the condition. The guidance in this unit is useful to anyone who is about to take on (or has recently taken on) a caring role at home or in a residential facility.

Unit 4: begins by looking at creating a safe environment for people with dementia and goes on to identify key principles of personal care and provides tips for applying good practice while carrying out daily tasks. This unit enables learners to approach their responsibilities confidently and to employ safe and effective ways of caring for people with dementia.

Unit 5: identifies the kinds of challenging behaviour that carers need to be prepared for when caring for someone with dementia. It looks at possible causes and suggests ways of coping in different situations. This unit enables learners to deploy suitable strategies to reduce the impact of - or even prevent - the types of behaviour discussed.

Unit 6: explores different ways of helping people with dementia to keep busy and stimulated, and to enjoy life for as long as possible. This is relatively straightforward in the early to middle stages of the disease, but can often present challenges to carers in the later stages. This unit concludes by providing learners with guidance on identifying suitable activities and types of exercise which people in their care will enjoy and which will help them remain physically and mentally active.

Unit 7: looks at how people's physical, emotional and spiritual needs change as dementia progresses. It also explains the importance of looking after yourself when caring for other people. This unit enables learners to determine whether people in their care are in pain, discomfort or distress after they have lost the ability to express these directly. It also enables learners to provide suitable and effective care through the last stages of a person's life with the help of medical and nursing staff.

Learning Objectives: on completion of this course learners will be able to:

> Define clearly what dementia is and list its main causes
> Identify some of the potential early-, middle- and late-stage symptoms
> Suggest ways of improving verbal and non-verbal communication
> Explain what is meant by person-centred care and list the five key principles
> Apply effective strategies when helping people with dementia with everyday tasks
> Describe the kinds of challenging behaviour that carers of people with dementia may come across and suggest effective coping strategies
> Suggest activities and types of exercise suitable for people at various stages of dementia
> Describe the physical care that may be required in the later stages of dementia.