‘Understanding Dementia’

TWYFORD: A dementia charity in the village is offering a training course for health and care professionals working with those with dementia.

The news follows a ‘very successful’ pilot in the autumn by Understanding Dementia.

The course, which takes place over nine weeks on Zoom covers a plethora of topics, with each of the interactive one-hour sessions including a presentation, followed by a Q&A and a discussion.

Partakers will learn how to ‘work positively with dementia’, scale down distressed behaviour and endorse wellbeing.

The course, which is due to start at the end of January, is suited to professionals who work in any setting including people’s own homes and other residential and community environments.

The training will cost £175 per person, which includes the sessions, a booklet entitled ‘Understanding Dementia and lessening its impact’, all of the electronic handouts and a certificate that will be given when the course is completed.

Following the course, participants are invited to become part of an online community of professionalsfor continued support and discussion.

Understanding Dementia is able to offer a Wednesday evening session for the course and will also be offering an option for daytime, subject to demand.

Shirley Pearce, training and founder of Understanding Dementia, said: “Standard dementia training, with its focus on the effects of dementia on the brain, body and behaviour, leaves little time to consider what it does to the person inside.

“Our trainees tell us that this course has made a real difference to their practice and to the well-being of their clients.”

For more information and to book a place on the training course, email lucy.w@understandingdementia.co.uk