Learning Hub: Health and social care professionals

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 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.

This interactive course is designed to help you understand how dementia can affect a person’s communication skills and engagement with social interactions and activities. We will explore communication techniques that will help you to meaningfully interact with people affected by dementia and ways to provide person-centred care and support.  

We will also learn how to help people in the early stages of dementia to remain active and independent and how to enable them to continue to enjoy activities and hobbies for as long as possible. 

Learning outcomes:

• Identify barriers to meaningful engagement for people in the early stages of dementia
• Learn communication skills
• Understand the principles of person-centred care and support and how to apply them in practice
• Learn ways to help people in the early stages of dementia to remain active. 

Course level: Intermediate.

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 when planning for the future and how to overcome these.

Course level: Intermediate.

Learn how to effectively support people living with dementia and their families through transitions of care, including involving people with dementia in decision-making and including family members as care partners. 

Learning outcomes: 

• Understand the importance of involving people living with dementia and their families in decisions about their care
• Learn how to facilitate conversations about care with empathy and respect
• Know how to support people with dementia and their families through transitions in care
• Understand some of the challenges that people with dementia and their families may experience and how to overcome these. 

Course level: Advanced.

This interactive course will help you to understand how the symptoms of dementia can impact the way people experience care environments, including day centres and residential care homes.

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 care environments and explore practical changes you can make to create spaces that support the wellbeing of residents.

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 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 meaningfully engage with people in the later stages of dementia, including verbal and non-verbal communication techniques and activities to improve wellbeing.

Learning outcomes:

• Identify how the symptoms of advanced dementia can impact a person’s ability to engage
• Learn verbal and non-verbal communication skills to help you positively interact with people in the later stages of dementia
• Understand the principles of person-centred care and support and how to apply these in practice. 

Course level: Intermediate.

Learn about the signs of end of life for someone with dementia, how to overcome challenges and enable people with dementia to die well. Also learn how to support a person’s carers and loved ones at this difficult time.

Learning outcomes: 

• Understand why planning for end of life is important for everyone and the ways people living with dementia can be involved
• Recognise the signs of end of life for someone with dementia
• Identify barriers that people living with dementia might experience to achieving a good death and how you can overcome these
• Know how to support the person with dementia and those around them during what can be a difficult time.

Course level: Advanced.