Person-centred care for people with a learning disability and dementia

A 2-day course for staff working with people with a learning disability devised and delivered by DementiaTrainers.


Day 1

  • The experience of dementia: understanding the perspective of people with dementia
  • Facts and up-to-date information about dementia: types of dementia, symptoms, risk factors, statistics
  • Learning disability and dementia
  • Identifying factors that contribute to the difficulties in dementia
  • Compensating for the difficulties caused by dementia
  • The impact of the physical environment on people with a learning disability and dementia
  • Identifying and utilising the strengths of individuals with a learning disability and dementia
  • A ‘partnership’ model:  promoting independence alongside working with dependency
  • A tool to aid in the identification of dementia in a person with a learning disability
  • Responding to changing needs when a person with a learning disability develops dementia

Day 2

  • Developing knowledge about people with dementia as individuals: life story work
  • Facilitating communication and choice with people who have a learning disability and dementia
  • Recognising the needs of the whole person and the impact of unmet needs
  • Responding to different realities – eg delusional beliefs and hallucinations
  • Supporting people with dementia with strong feelings
  • Understanding and addressing the causes of challenging behaviour in people with a learning disability and dementia
  • The use of occupation to meet the needs of individuals with a learning disability and dementia
  • Changing the goals of care: identifying and promoting well-being

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