Dementia champions

A 5-day development programme for staff nominated as leaders of person-centred dementia care, designed and delivered by DementiaTrainers.


Day 1

  • The experience of dementia: understanding feelings
  • Facts and up-to-date information about dementia: prevalence, types of dementia, what happens in the brain, symptoms, risk factors
  • A social model of dementia – identifying and minimising factors contributing to difficulties in dementia
  • The impact of interactions on the person with dementia
  • Establishing guidelines for good practice
  • Developing and sharing knowledge about people as individuals
  • Positive outcomes: recognising and monitoring well-being in dementia

Day 2

  • The role of Dementia Champions
  • Hopes and fears
  • Difficulties and abilities in dementia
  • A partnership approach to the care of people with dementia
  • Compensating for difficulties caused by dementia
  • Environment and dementia
  • Recognising and drawing on strengths
  • Supporting people with dementia with eating and drinking
  • Identifying the needs of the whole person
  • Key psychological needs and positive person work
  • Person-centred communication
  • Active listening
  • Overcoming communication barriers

Day 3

  • Understanding reasons for behaviours that staff find challenging
  • Responding to strong feelings and distressed reactions
  • Empathy and validation
  • Responding to different realities of people with dementia
  • Recognising and responding to delirium
  • Taking stock: evaluating current practices within participants’ own settings
  • Learning from experience
  • Barriers to person-centred care – negative beliefs and bad habits
  • First objectives and steps towards improvement

Day 4

  • Successes and challenges
  • Recognising and minimising triggers for aggressive behaviour
  • The use and misuse of antipsychotic medication in dementia care
  • Pain in dementia: identification and management
  • Occupation and engagement for people with dementia
  • Understanding and responding to people with dementia who walk around / try to leave the care environment
  • Environmental assessment: feedback and plans
  • Assessing and managing risk
  • Capacity and consent

Day 5

  • Enhancing well-being
  • Being a role model
  • Facilitating reflective practice for insight and change
  • Promoting positive dementia care
  • Supporting people with dementia at the end of life
  • Person-centred work with relatives / carers of people with dementia
  • Communication processes within the team
  • Assessment and care planning
  • Action planning

Back to Sample Course Outlines