This week, dementia – the progressive disease that leads to memory loss and communication problems – is being highlighted with Dementia Awareness Week, hosted by the Alzheimer’s Society.
The topic of dementia is often a sensitive one, but it’s sadly something that most people have had to deal with in some capacity. One in six people over the age of 80 suffer with the degenerative disease – and shockingly, it’s estimated that 90,000 sufferers could be undiagnosed – so many of us have had experience of caring for a loved one as they battle dementia.
That’s why it’s absolutely vital that we not only learn how to treat the disease, and ease the burden of those suffering, but also raise awareness of this common but misunderstood condition. Symptoms of dementia include memory loss and the deterioration of other cognitive functions, with thought processing and thinking speed often affected.
In late 2014, the NHS made efforts to improve earlier diagnosis of the disease with a £5m initiative but worryingly, research has shown that some GPs have been cautious to give a dementia diagnosis due to a lack of local support and care for sufferers.
It’s crucial that care for dementia patients is readily available across the UK and of high quality, and that care workers treat the individual in a comforting, respectful and beneficial manner. With an expected increase in the number of dementia diagnoses, care workers are likely to be expected to upskill in the areas of dementia awareness and treatment.
NCFE has a number of qualifications and standalone units to support learners in their understanding of dementia care. These include spotting the symptoms, recognising and understanding the behaviour associated with dementia, and a range of techniques to care for and deal with the disease.
The NCFE Level 2 Certificate in the Principles of Dementia Care (600/6355/5) is fully fundable in the Skills Funding Agency’s (SFA) Simplified Funding Rates catalogue. This qualification helps learners prepare to enter, or progress within, employment within the Health or Social Care sector where an understanding of the disease and the care of people with dementia is required. It aims to develop knowledge and understanding of the principles of caring for people with dementia, including person-centred care, the influence of positive communication methods, issues relating to the use of medication for people with dementia, and the importance of providing appropriate activities.
In addition, we have a range of individual units available for registration. Of varying levels and sizes and costing just £13 per learner, these units are ideal for those just needing a bite-size top-up or employers looking for brief CPD in dementia care.
At NCFE we fully support Dementia Awareness Week. Improvements in diagnosis and awareness are fundamental, as are improvements in the accessibility and quality of care for those suffering from the disease, and our qualifications have been specifically designed to contribute to this.
If you have any questions on our dementia qualifications or standalone units, you can contact your Customer Support Advisor or call us on 0191 239 8000.
