Dementia Care Workshops
Any of these sessions may be blended to provide a 6-hour, or longer, workshop
Introduction to Dementia: Myths, Misconceptions and Realities
3-hour workshop
This session provides an introduction to cognition and dementia. It will discuss normal, age-related changes in cognition, and changes that are not within the norm. It will discuss dementia as a syndrome that may be caused by a wide variety of conditions, and as having changes that are reversible/non-reversible and/or progressive/non-progressive. The ways in which cognition may be affected will be discussed, as will general approaches to client support.
This in-service workshop will help your staff:
3-hour workshop
This session provides an introduction to cognition and dementia. It will discuss normal, age-related changes in cognition, and changes that are not within the norm. It will discuss dementia as a syndrome that may be caused by a wide variety of conditions, and as having changes that are reversible/non-reversible and/or progressive/non-progressive. The ways in which cognition may be affected will be discussed, as will general approaches to client support.
This in-service workshop will help your staff:
- Describe and use appropriately the term “dementia”
- Discuss causes that vary by progression or reversibility
- Describe the various ways dementia may manifest
- Demonstrate productive approaches to support
Common Progressive & Irreversible Causes of Dementia
3-hour workshop
This session will describe and discuss the most common irreversible causes of progressive and irreversible dementia: Alzheimer Disease, Fronto-Temporal Dementia, Lewy Body Dementia and Vascular Dementia. Emphasis will be placed on the characteristics of each as they are relevant to everyday function and the support worker’s role.
This in-service workshop will help your staff:
3-hour workshop
This session will describe and discuss the most common irreversible causes of progressive and irreversible dementia: Alzheimer Disease, Fronto-Temporal Dementia, Lewy Body Dementia and Vascular Dementia. Emphasis will be placed on the characteristics of each as they are relevant to everyday function and the support worker’s role.
This in-service workshop will help your staff:
- Describe characteristics of the types of progressive and irreversible dementias that are relevant to the support worker’s role.
- Discuss and, given case examples, apply approaches to respond to issues within the worker’s role
Communication in Dementia: From Confusion to Understanding
3-hour workshop
Impairment in memory and thinking can result in significant difficulty in communication. Difficulty can cause the client as well as the support worker to become frustrated. This session discusses common changes in communication ability. It will discuss the right questions to ask, the uses of life story information and how all this information can be used to provide better support…and less frustration.
This in-service workshop will help your staff
3-hour workshop
Impairment in memory and thinking can result in significant difficulty in communication. Difficulty can cause the client as well as the support worker to become frustrated. This session discusses common changes in communication ability. It will discuss the right questions to ask, the uses of life story information and how all this information can be used to provide better support…and less frustration.
This in-service workshop will help your staff
- Identify common changes in communication related to progressive and irreversible conditions causing dementia
- Describe the sources of life history information about the client
- Identify the types of questions that may reveal the most memorable parts of a client’s life
- Discuss appropriate methods of sharing this information with the other members of the support team
Demystifying Responsive Behaviours
3-hour workshop
This session focuses on behaviours that are difficult for us to understand. It will assist participants to examine these behaviours as those that are in response to something the client is experiencing, needing and/or perceiving. It will discuss the role of demystifying the behaviour through observation, communication and assessment. It will also discuss the ways in which learnings may be shared with other members of the support team.
This in-service workshop will help your staff:
3-hour workshop
This session focuses on behaviours that are difficult for us to understand. It will assist participants to examine these behaviours as those that are in response to something the client is experiencing, needing and/or perceiving. It will discuss the role of demystifying the behaviour through observation, communication and assessment. It will also discuss the ways in which learnings may be shared with other members of the support team.
This in-service workshop will help your staff:
- Identify responsive behaviours as those behaviours that respond to a need, perception or experience the client has that we may not easily identify.
- Use problem-solving and interpretative approaches to identify sources of behaviour as well as positive worker responses to those behaviours, with the aim of reducing client distress and reduce risk of aggressive behaviour
- Identify sources of information that may help in the problem-solving process
- Identify methods of sharing this information with other supports to improve overall client care.
Supporting a Palliative Client who has Dementia
3-hour workshop
This session focuses on the needs of clients with dementia who are in the last stages of dying. It will discuss the presentation of dementia and on techniques to provide psychosocial support to the client. It will also discuss how to identify the person’s non-verbal expressions of pain/discomfort.
It will help your direct-care staff:
3-hour workshop
This session focuses on the needs of clients with dementia who are in the last stages of dying. It will discuss the presentation of dementia and on techniques to provide psychosocial support to the client. It will also discuss how to identify the person’s non-verbal expressions of pain/discomfort.
It will help your direct-care staff:
- Describe the impact dementia has on the dying person’s ability to perceive and communicate needs
- Describe and discuss the application of non-verbal interpretation skills to identify client needs—and respond to those needs
- Undertake problem solving strategies when initial responses don’t work
- Describe the clients actions, fruitful and non-fruitful approaches to those actions to the family/support team (if present)
To book Capacity Builders training for your staff, or for more information, email us at info@capacitybuilders.ca or call us at 416-256-3010 or 1-800-267-6272 ext 229.
