Dementia Care: Staying Connected and Living Well

Why join the course?

If you are a carer for a person living with dementia then this is the course for you.

When it comes to understanding and supporting a person living with dementia, family carers are very skilled and knowledgeable. Yet, you will know that carers can face a number of really stressful situations that can be difficult to deal with.

Advice on connecting with and caring for someone with dementia.

This course will provide you with knowledge and advice that can help you connect with and care for someone living with dementia. We will focus on everyday experiences that are seen as particularly challenging and stressful, such as combining employment with caring for someone living with dementia.

Newcastle University has great expertise in ageing and dementia research. We specialise in understanding dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), so this course will shine a light on some of the stressful symptoms and communication problems associated with this condition. It will also cover the challenges of other types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

Meet other dementia carers and academic experts.

Over three weeks, you will meet other carers and academic experts who have developed strategies and practical steps to improve communication - something which is crucially important for building and maintaining relationships and for effectively negotiating daily life.

Lynne Corner

I’m Lynne Corner I’m Chief Operating Office at the UK National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA) and a Trustee of the Lewy Body Dementia Society. I am also proud to direct Voice- through which we involve members of the public in our research. I’ve been involved in dementia research and dementia care for the last 20 years. I’m also a carer. My passion through this course is to share some of the practical insights that our team have that will make a real difference to how we connect and communicate.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course you will develop a new understanding of:

the brain and different types of dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).

what a person with dementia is experiencing.

challenging situations and behaviours that can cause carer stress.

strategies for improving verbal and non-verbal communication.

By the end of the course you'll be able to...

Describe the different forms of dementia including the distinctive characteristics of dementia with Lewy bodies

Explore the communication challenges affecting carers of people with dementia

Improve strategies for verbal and non-verbal communication between carers and people with dementia

Explain how to handle challenging situations that can cause carer stress

Contribute to ideas for innovation and better communication

Course Agenda

This 3-week course online course allows participants to follow in their own time. there are asynchronous discussions at various touchpoints throughout the course to discuss and compare experiences.

What topics will you cover?

Changing understandings of dementia

Types and symptoms of dementia

Structure and functions of the brain

Characteristics of dementia with Lewy bodies

Ongoing inner life and the concept of personhood

Understanding communication (channels, modes and contexts)

Reflecting on the caring role (experiences, stresses and self-compassion)

Understanding Alzheimer's disease and the concept of ‘time shift’

Understanding the communication challenges of dementia with Lewy bodies

Reflecting on caring at a distance

Activities of daily living and dementia (focusing on mealtimes and using the bathroom)

Understanding challenging behaviour

Identifying unmet need

Avoiding confrontation

Exploring assistive technologies to improve communication

Sharing insights to support future care innovations

For more information on this course, please contact llahub@newcastle.ac.uk or enquire here