Dementia and Down’s Syndrome-Learning Disabilities

This one day course is designed for carers (employed or voluntary) and support staff who working within residential, domiciliary, day centre and supported living settings.

The course will help learners understand many of the difficulties experience by people with Dementia and specifically with Alzheimer’s disease and Down’s syndrome. This course, in spite of the complexity of the theme will help learners understand a range of possibilities to promote and maintain a quality of life for the service user for as long as possible.

Learning objectives:

By the end of the course learners should be able to understand:

• Background:
        -Definitions
        -Diagnosis
        -Current understanding of causation and statistics.
• The connection between Down’s syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease incl. statistics, onset etc
• A brief review of main symptoms, stages and different Dementias and a focus on Alzheimer’s disease in particular
• How might this may be further complicated by the combination with Down’s syndrome (and recognising individuality)
• How the condition impacts on the individual
• How the condition impacts on those who formally and informally support them
• What we mean by a ‘Person Centred’ approach and other approaches
• The need for drawing on the best resources. We can’t know and do everything!
• The roles of expert advisers/consultants and how to engage with them
• The different professional and support roles
• How to apply this knowledge through a care plan
• Bringing the team and others ‘on board’

Training methods:

• Presentations
• Word shower
• OHP/PowerPoint
• Group work
• Discussion
• Chalk & talk
• Feedback
• Ideas shower

CP179/5.9