University of Derby hosts Dementia Care conference

The University of Derby is hosting a dementia conference to develop knowledge and understanding of dementia in the community and primary care.

The conference, titled: ‘Dementia Care in Primary and Community Settings’, will take place on Wednesday, March 16 between 10.30am - 4pm, at the Enterprise Centre, on Bridge Street.

Eminent keynote speakers will come together to discuss best practice in dementia care with the opportunity to network with peers, colleagues, clinicians and others with a desire to improve dementia support.

Speakers will include Dr Chris Gillespie, Consultant Psychologist at Derby Teaching Hospitals who will support the audience to appreciate the challenges of helping people with dementia; their behavior and the response of the clinician, with the aim of improving care and valuing the individual.

Kate Robertson, a Falls Clinical Specialist and Honorary Assistant Professor of the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham, will also speak at the conference, and Dr Paula Crick, Dean of The College of Health and Social Care will close the event.

Dr Crick said: “The conference, with a focus on community and primary care, will promote awareness of strategies to improve quality of life, and improve understanding of the support available to both individuals with a dementia diagnosis and those providing their care.

“Dementia is everybody's business. There are currently approximately 36 million people with dementia in the world but as many as 28 million of those living with dementia worldwide do not have a diagnosis. The numbers of people living with dementia worldwide is expected to double every 20 years. By 2050 it is projected there will be 115 million people with dementia worldwide, 71% of whom will live in developing countries. There are over 6 million people with dementia in Europe. ₁

“The College of Health and Social Care are seeking to raise the profile of dementia, and to support the local community to ensure that those living with dementia and their carers receive the resources they need to maintain the best possible quality of life. The College is seeking to further embed knowledge and understanding of dementia into their pre and post registration health and care curricula”.

As part of the conference all delegates will get a free copy of 'Dementia: The One-Stop Guide: Practical advice for families, professionals, and people living with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease'.

For more information on this event, and to book please go to: www.derby.ac.uk/dementia-care

The University is also running a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) titled ‘Bridging the Dementia Divide’ which is back by popular demand after the University received high levels of requests to run the course again.

The MOOC has been developed by the University’s Academic Innovation Hub and UDOL in conjunction with the University’s College of Health and Social Care.

The course will begin on March 7, 2016.