One factor that makes a difference is a person-centred ‘enriched model of care’.
This model, developed by Professor Thomas Kitwood in the ’80s, recognises the different factors that shape a person’s experience of dementia – for example, neurological impairment, physical health, personality and social environment – and offers holistic support to address these needs.
Research has shown that this approach leads to more effective care and better outcomes for residents. A review of 19 interventional studies found person-centred care interventions reduced agitation, neuropsychiatric symptoms and depression in people with dementia, while also improving quality of life.
Dementia Capable Care Training
The Crisis Prevention Institute’s (CPI) newly updated Dementia Capable Care program provides carers with the skills and knowledge to offer an ‘enriched model of care’.
The course blends the Claudia Allen Cognitive Disabilities Model, Kitwood’s model of person-centred care, and verbal de-escalation techniques into a fresh and efficient approach to dementia care. This enables carers to more effectively support the person, maximise their quality of life, and minimise psychological and behavioural symptoms.
What’s new about Dementia Capable Care?
The CPI’s course has been updated to combine the core components of Dementia Capable Care: Foundation and Dementia Capable Care: Behaviours into one program.
Knowing how challenging it can be for staff to take time away from their day job for training, the new program is more time-efficient without compromising the integrity of the content.
The Instructor Certification Program only requires 1.5 days instead of 3 days to become a Certified Instructor, all done virtually to save time and travel costs.
For the workplace training, rather than needing to be in a classroom with a Certified Instructor for up to 16 hours, the program can now be undertaken in 6 to 8 hours, due to a new blended learning approach which presents half the materials online and half in-person with an instructor.
The new course is globally available, with content that supports people living with dementia in Australia, the US, the UK, France or any other location.
Course enhancements for Certified Instructors
Teaching a program with content that truly impacts knowledge and skill can be daunting. For some, it can take a while to gain the confidence and mastery to teach participants well.
For this reason, the CPI has taken the core content of the course and integrated it into an online learning component. With core content first taught in the online module, this new program makes it easier for Certified Instructors to focus on application work in the instructor-led time with their staff. This lessens the burden on the instructor, as they can rest assured that the content is delivered consistently while focusing more on application in their portion of the course.
Instructors are also supported by a re-designed Instructor Guide, which makes it easier to deliver the program effectively to participants.
Course benefits for staff and caregivers
The new Dementia Capable Care course focuses on frontline staff as the core audience. When the CPI refreshed the program, they ensured that the language, examples and case studies used strongly resonates with frontline workers, while also being applicable for everyone who works in healthcare and other care settings.
The program’s fresh look and multimedia approach helps learners stay engaged, inspiring them to improve their care approaches. Continuing education units are offered for all participants in the online portion of the course, including staff that the Certified Instructors teach.
As we work towards normalising patient-centred care in aged care settings, CPI’s course is a valuable opportunity to learn an enriched model that can – and should – be used every day in dementia care.
The first program is now open registrations for 13 July 2021. To find out more about the Dementia Capable Care program or to register, call 1300 244 674 or email information@crisisprevention.com.
