Learning Hub: Customer-facing organisations

Learn about dementia, the stages of the dementia journey and explore how Alzheimer’s Society’s Learning Hub can equip you with the knowledge and skills to confidently support people with dementia throughout their journey.

Learning outcomes:

• Understand what dementia is
• Identify the key stages of the dementia journey
• Find out about the in-depth training courses available through our Learning Hub
• Know where to find further information and support.

Course level: Introductory.

This course is designed to help you learn about dementia, including different forms of the disease and how the brain is affected. We will explore how dementia is diagnosed, risk factors for developing dementia and look at attitudes towards the condition.  

This course also examines how the symptoms of dementia can affect day-to-day life and looks at the impact the condition has on an individual and people around them.

Learning outcomes:

• Understand what dementia is and how it affects the brain
• Explore the risk factors to developing dementia and how the condition is diagnosed
• Gain insight into what it is like to live with dementia, both for the person with the condition and those around them
• Understand how you can support people living with dementia. 

Course level: Introductory.

This interactive course will help you to understand what it is like to live with dementia in the early stages. You will gain the knowledge and skills to recognise when someone may be experiencing difficulty as a result of the early stages of dementia and tips on how to support people.

Learning outcomes: 

• Identify the symptoms a person may experience in the early stages of dementia
• Understand how the early symptoms of dementia can affect a person’s behaviour and communication
• Recognise how the early stages of dementia may impact a person’s day-to-day life
• Learn practical ways to support people in the early stages of dementia. 

Course level: Introductory.

As dementia develops, it can cause behavioural changes that can be confusing or difficult for the person living with dementia and those supporting them.  

This course is designed to help you to understand the behaviours that a person with dementia may display and recognise when a person may be experiencing distress. You will learn how to identify the underlying causes of distress and how to respond to behaviours that challenge with empathy and respect.

Learning outcomes: 

• Understand how dementia affects the brain so you can recognise when dementia is impacting somebody’s behaviour, actions and/or emotions
• Identify the types of behaviour a person with dementia may display
• Understand the causes of distressed behaviours and the triggers to look for so you can provide practical support. 

Course level: Intermediate.

Learn about the importance of planning the future following a diagnosis of dementia and ways that people living with dementia can plan ahead.

Learning outcomes: 

• Identify practical ways that people living with dementia and their families can plan for the future
• Learn how to facilitate conversations about planning for the future and how to support people with dementia to plan ahead
• Identify some of the barriers that people may experience to planning for the future and how to overcome these. 

Course level: Intermediate.

This interactive course will help you to understand how the symptoms of dementia can impact the way people experience customer environments, including retail, banking and hospitality.

You will learn how dementia affects visuospatial skills, such as depth-perception and judging distances, orientation and the senses, including sight and hearing loss. You will also learn how to evaluate the dementia-friendliness of customer environments and explore practical changes you can make to create spaces that support the wellbeing of your customers.

Learning outcomes: 

• Understand how the symptoms of dementia can impact the way a person experiences the environment around them.
• Learn how to assess how dementia-friendly a space is and identify practical changes you can make to create dementia-friendly care environments
• Understand the benefits of creating environments that are accessible and support the wellbeing of people living with dementia. 

Course level: Intermediate.

Learn how dementia can affect visuospatial skills, such as depth perception and judging distances, orientation, and the senses, including sight and hearing loss. You will also explore practical changes and how you can make dementia-friendly spaces.  

With thanks to the Dementia Friendly Venues Charter and Network who partnered with Alzheimer's Society to create this course.

Learning outcomes: 

• Understand how the symptoms of dementia can impact the way a person experiences the environment around them
• Learn to assess how dementia-friendly a space is and identify practical changes you can make to create dementia-friendly arts and cultural venues
• Understand the benefits of creating environments that are accessible and support the wellbeing of people living with dementia.

Course level: Intermediate.

Learn how the symptoms experienced by people in the later stages of dementia can impact a person’s experience of the world, their ability to communicate and their behaviours.

Learning outcomes: 

• Identify the symptoms a person may experience in the later stages of dementia
• Understand how the symptoms of advanced dementia can affect a person’s behaviour and communication.
• Recognise how the later stages of dementia may impact a person’s day-to-day life
• Learn practical ways to support people in the later stages of dementia. 

Course level: Introductory.

Learn how to provide outstanding customer service to people affected by dementia, including how to communicate with customers face-to-face and over the phone.

Learning outcomes: 

• What dementia is and how to spot the signs and symptoms
• Understand how the symptoms of dementia can affect a person’s behaviour and communication
• Learn practical ways you can support people living with dementia in a customer-facing environment.

Course level: Introductory.