New training course launched to help improve dementia care

The Alzheimer’s Society has launched the first nationally accredited training course aimed at improving the quality of care given to people with dementia.

The new training course is called ‘An Introduction to Dementia Care’ and is aimed at improving the standard of care offered to the thousands of people across the country living with dementia. It is the first course in dementia care to be nationally accredited and it has been produced in collaboration with BUPA Care Homes, Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the University of Sunderland.

The programme aims to encourage care staff to learn more about dementia through the use of video, group discussion and work with people with dementia.

Studies have shown that up to 75 per cent of people living in nursing and residential care homes have Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. The Alzheimer’s Society hopes that this course will help care staff to have a better understanding of dementia and encourage staff to view dementia care as a career choice.

Daren Felgate, the Alzheimer’s Society’s training and development manger hopes that this course will become the key introductory course for care workers working with people with dementia.

"Working with people with dementia is often seen as being difficult and challenging. However, with the right support many care staff would say it is the most rewarding work they have ever done. The Society is working towards the goal of quality care for everyone with dementia, and we hope that this course will go some way to improving the care people receive".

The collaboration between the Alzheimer’s Society, BUPA Care Homes, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the University of Sunderland means that staff now have the opportunity to gain university accreditation as part of their training.

The course has been mapped to the TOPSS (Training Organisation for the Personal Social Services) induction standards for care staff and helps to provide evidence for the NVQ level 2 in care.

Graham Stokes, head of mental health at BUPA Care Homes says that the aim of the programme is to introduce carer workers to best practice in dementia care, provide them with an understanding of what it is like to live with dementia and encourage them to view dementia care as a career choice.

"We also hope that this course will go a long way in establishing a consistent baseline for specialist training in dementia care".

The course has already been piloted through four BUPA Care homes and the Joseph Rowntree home in York.

The Alzheimer’s Society hopes that all care providers and trainers will eventually use the course to help improve training for care workers working with people with dementia in residential and care homes.