Targeted and high quality training in dementia awareness can help to improve the quality of life and care for individuals suffering with dementia. Not only that but it can help healthcare professionals learn how they ought to treat and respond to people with the condition, and can provide healthcare staff with the opportunity to develop communication skills in this area, building trust and confidence between healthcare staff and patients.
It would not be an overstatement to say that dementia awareness training such as that which we offer here at ACI should be seen as a fundamental skill for all those working in the care sector. In the UK, it is expected that the number of people living with dementia will rise to over a million by 2025 and will double by 2050. This horrendous forecast, combined with the continuous rise in the average lifespan (which unfortunately means a huge increase in the number of people living for longer with debilitating conditions) means that professionals working in the health and social care sectors need to be equipped with the vital practical and emotional skills to look after people living with dementia.
Needless to say, a diagnosis of dementia will lead to a frightening and immensely challenging time for those people who receive the diagnosis, and of course for family members and those who care for the individual concerned.
In such a difficult situation, knowledge about the condition is key. Training in awareness of dementia is therefore absolutely essential. It means that designated carers as well as professionals supporting those carers can learn how to access the best care, support and treatments as early as possible, and be able to manage the situation as the condition progresses.
Many care organisations and businesses of all kinds have now recognised the importance of dementia awareness and are investing in appropriate training for staff who need it. Those caring for individuals with dementia can gain skills and knowledge to support them in this vital role.
It’s worth noting that the ongoing massive demographic shift in the UK population will have (and is already starting to have) a huge effect on healthcare systems, as people retire later, live longer and spend a longer proportion of their lives suffering from a number of conditions that in previous generations were considered ailments only of very old people. As people begin to retire later, there are clearly going to be knock-on effects of working people living with dementia. If the signs and symptoms of the condition are identified and colleagues and carers know how to provide appropriate and proportionate support, this can help to mitigate the worst effects of the situation.
Greater dementia awareness in workplaces and in care settings can also lead to improvements in procedures and practices, helping to transform the experience of those individuals living with dementia.
Giving staff the opportunity to take part in dementia awareness training also gives them the chance to develop communication skills needed for building trust and confidence in their conversations and interactions with those they are tasked with caring for.
Our course in Dementia Awareness is mapped and aligned to the UK Clinical/Care CSTF. The Dementia Awareness course is for all grades of health care professional qualified and unqualified working in the NHS. This course unless otherwise requested, is valid for 3 years.
To discuss training opportunities please email training@aci.training or phone us on 01291 624451
