Resources for tier one, two and three

The Dementia Academic Action Group have created a training package to raise awareness of what dementia is and how it affects people with dementia along with their family, relatives, carers, friends and significant others.

The package contains a comprehensive training manual, slide presentations with accompanying notes, participant worksheets and session plans, and eight 30 minute bite size units that can be delivered as a whole package (units 1-6) or individually.

By completing either the full two hour session or all individual units, you will be meeting the core skills for Tier 1 Dementia Awareness.

Units 1 and 8 have been designed to be delivered face-to-face, Units 2-7 are flexible and can be  delivered face-to-face on separate occasions, depending on organisational needs, or accessed online by individuals.

If the latter option is chosen, it’s important that the participants discuss their progress with the local training and education lead within their organisation in order to monitor their progress and document the training completion date as appropriate to each organisation’s Annual Training and Monitoring policy.

The Appointment is a thought-provoking film aimed at dental professionals but also suitable for health and social care staff and carers. It raises awareness of the issues faced by a person with dementia when attending a dental appointment.

In the film Barbara is having a routine check up with her dentist, six months elapse and we see Barbara starting to face challenges around attending a new appointment.

We become more aware about how it feels to be a person with dementia, see the relationship with the dental practice staff and how vital it is to get carers and relatives on board as they can help the person with dementia cope with visiting the dental practice.

It raises reflective learning to improve caring, compassion and good communication.

The resource pack helps guide discussion, guiding viewers to reflect on the film and its learning points.

We have agreed a definition of tier 1 (awareness level) dementia training with the Department of Health. Tier 1 training is to familiarise people with recognising and understanding dementia, interacting with those with dementia, and to be able to signpost patients and carers to appropriate support.

The learning outcomes of this training must be:

    Better diagnosis, treatment and care of those with dementia;
    Staff will have greater awareness and confidence to support patients affected by dementia;
    Staff will be able to identify the early symptoms of dementia;
    Staff will be aware of the needs of patients affected by dementia and their families and carers to enable them to provide safe, dignified and compassionate care;
    GPs will be able to identify and work with patients affected by dementia;
    Staff will be able to signpost patients and carers to appropriate support;
    Staff will have raised awareness of the increased likelihood of mental health problems presenting in those with Long Term Conditions.

These learning outcomes can be met by completing the e-Learning for Healthcare e-Dementia: Introduction to Dementia course which is split into three sessions. The course is also available to NHS staff via the Electronic Staff Record.

The Social Care Institute for Excellence has also produced an Open Dementia Programme which is free to access.

What helps improve information given to families of people living with dementia has been designed for staff working in health and social care and in the voluntary sector to assist them to provide information to families and partners of people living with dementia.

Our Thames Valley team commissioned a Dementia Project Fellow to improve the information given to families of people living with dementia in the Thames Valley area.

Phase 1 of the project resulted in a scoping report summarising best practice and information that was already available to families. The report concluded that there were benefits to all staff being confident to proactively provide information.

The What Helps Improve Information Given to Families of People Living with Dementia project was built around the experiences and views of family carers and supports the Health Education e-book and app, Dementia guide for carers and care providers.

You can download the Dementia guide for carers and care providers for iBooks, the Kindle Store, and Smashwords. It is also available as a standalone app through the Apple App Store.

Dementia Education and Learning Through Simulation 2

The Dementia Education and Learning Through Simulation 2 (DEALTS 2) resources provide a simulation-based training package for staff working regularly with people living with dementia.  

Finding Patience resources 

To go alongside the Finding Patience film we have produced a number of resources including a facilitator handbook and participant workbook. The handbook is designed to help facilitators use the Finding Patience film to deliver a number of the tier 2 learning outcomes of the Dementia Training Standards Framework. We have also produced a workbook for delegates at training sessions. By completing the training all of the requisite learning outcomes in for Tier 1 dementia awareness training is covered and some of the Tier 2 learning outcomes

The Finding Patience: The later Years dementia training is interactive training incorporating the film. We have produced a number of resources including a facilitator handbook and participant workbook. The handbook is designed to help facilitators use the Finding Patience – The Later Years film to deliver a number of the tier 2 learning outcomes of the Dementia Training Standards Framework and the workbook has been designed for delegates taking part in the training. The training is designed to help health and social care develop their understanding of dementia and what constitutes high quality person centred care.

Resources for tier three are coming soon.