A NEW training course to help professional care workers support the increasing number of Islanders with dementia has been launched to meet a “critical need” for better understanding of the condition.
The Best Practice for Dementia Care course has been designed by charity Dementia Jersey and launched as part of this week’s Dementia Awareness Week. The degenerative condition is was Jersey’s biggest cause of death last year, accounting for one in ten deaths.
It was prompted by a deficit in training identified in last year’s Dementia Strategy, which was authored by the government and partner agencies, including the charity.
Dementia Jersey said the training, which is based around real scenarios, followed national guidelines, and included educating carers about the different types of dementia, how to respond to distress, improving communication skills and how to create dementia-friendly environments.
The charity ran a pilot course to members of the Jersey Care Commission earlier this year and it is hoped the full training will be rolled out at the end of June, after taking on feedback from the JCC, which regulates the care sector.
Claudine Snape, Dementia Jersey’s chief executive, said the launch of the training “marked a significant step forward” in addressing the “critical need” for dementia-specific knowledge in Jersey’s care sector.
“As highlighted in last year’s Dementia Strategy, and echoed in the lived experiences shared by Islanders, enhancing workforce expertise is a priority,” she said.
Although the course is still awaiting Continuing Professional Development accreditation, Ms Snape explained that the charity had seen a lot of interest from care providers keen to upskill their staff.
“The recent increase in queries underscores the clear demand,” she continued, “We are confident this training will help foster a more knowledgeable care workforce.”
Becky Sherrington, chief inspector at the JCC, said the commission welcomed the opportunity to develop the specialised training.
“The course promoted care and enhanced understanding of the needs of people living with dementia; principles that align closely with our regulatory standards,” she said.
Shaded box
Care providers interested in the ‘Best Practice for Dementia Care’ course are encouraged to join the waiting list, or register for updates, by emailing info@dementia.je
