Currently more than 55 million people are living with dementia worldwide with 10 million new cases diagnosed every year (WHO, 2023). It is currently the seventh leading cause of death in older people globally and in 2019 it cost global economies 1.3 trillion US dollars (WHO, 2023).
It is important to understand the challenges of living with dementia as well as understanding the importance of providing the correct care for people with dementia.
This course will look at the global challenge of dementia. It focuses on integrative collaboration and partnership working to reduce barriers between services and provide seamless care for people living with dementia.
Who is this course for?
The course is open to anyone who wants to better understand dementia and learn to care for people with dementia including carers of people with dementia, healthcare professionals and others with a general interest in dementia.
It is designed to offer more than just watching academic videos; you will also engage in forum discussions, group activities and other stimulating tasks.
Bridging the Dementia Divide: Supporting People Living with Dementia is a free online course that seeks to challenge stereotypes and teaches you to understand, sympathise and help people living with dementia in a compassionate manner. It encourages discussions but supports the sensitivity of the subject and people affected by it.
"I have worked in the past in a number of settings with people living with dementia and never taught as much as I have through this course. I have seen a lot of end-of-life care just not up to standard and it is really positive to learn this course is free and readily available. I will take a large part of this into my professional life including the model of practice and knowledge on the end of life."
Bridging the Dementia Divide, Online Learner
This course will:
- encourage learners to challenge their definitions and perceptions of dementia
- equip learners with the knowledge and understanding to help people with dementia
- provide a platform for global discussion to facilitate learner’s connections and communication for the purpose of initiating international networks
- provide learners with career insights, should they wish to pursue a career in health and social care
An accredited provider of the CPD Standards Office
We are proud to be an accredited provider of the CPD Standards Office for our online short courses and free courses, demonstrating that they conform to CPD best practice and are appropriate for inclusion in a formal CPD record.
Course units
The course is made up of 5 units, each will require approximately 3 hours of study.
Unit 1 - Introduction to dementia
This unit aims to provide background information and introduce you to the complex condition that is dementia. You will be asked to consider dementia types, causes, stages and treatment options available. In addition, we will discuss the complexity of dementia and the associated myths and stereotypes surrounding the disease.
Unit 2 - Communication, care and compassion
The aim of this unit is to provide an understanding of compassion and effective communication in the context of dementia. You will cover what compassion is and why it is important for dementia care. You will also explore what it means to have good communication and learn some of the practical communication skills needed when supporting someone living with dementia. During this unit, you will have the opportunity to identify key concepts of care which relate to compassion and communication.
Unit 3 - Independence, dignity and quality of life
The aim of this unit is to provide an understanding of what it means to be independent and be able to defend the right to dignity and respect with reference to ethical and legal frameworks. You will cover independence, dignity, quality of life, consent, capacity and some ethical issues related to those living with dementia.
Unit 4 - Integrating care
The aim of this unit is to understand the global impact of dementia and what this impact looks like worldwide; you will also consider the cultural differences in responses to health. Finally, you will gain an understanding of integrated care, what it does and how it can be used in the real-world.
Unit 5 - Progression and palliative care
The aim of this unit is to look to incorporate your learning over the previous units about dementia, compassion, communication, ethics, dignity, capacity and integrated care into the real-world context. During this unit we will cover the different stages of dementia and what that progression might look like. We will discuss the challenges that may arise during these stages and finally, we will look at palliative care and what you can do to support people living with dementia and their families.
This massive open online course is comparable to level 6 on the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ), however it does not hold any credits and can not be used as a top up for your University credits.
Throughout the learning process you will be awarded a Digital Open Badge for completing each unit. These are internationally recognised by many employers and educational institutions and will allow you to display your study achievements, even if you only wish to complete a specific unit.
Upon finishing the course, you will be issued an E-Certificate featuring all earned badges and stating that you have completed the full course, so that you can add it to your CV or education portfolio.
A flexible course that fits in with working and family life
This free short online course will help you understand the level of care required when caring for someone with dementia, as well as teaching you about communication and compassion, and how you can help a person living with dementia to maintain their independence, control and a good quality of life.
We will also consider what happens at the end of life: the reality is that there is currently no cure for dementia and the final phase of life can be a challenge not just for the person living with dementia but also for their family and other people around them.
How to enrol
All of our free courses are delivered through an easy-to-use online learning platform, which you can enrol from directly.
What you will need
The course is free and widely available for anyone to take part in regardless of age, location or education status. You will need to agree to the terms and conditions before you start the course which will be available when you enrol.
However, there are some basic requirements. You will need access to the internet whether it is on your PC, tablet, mobile or other electronic devices, as well as a valid email address to register with our online learning environment in order to take part in the course.
Once registered, please be aware that all study for this course is online and so you will need to be able to engage with this via a personal device, preferably a computer or laptop, for the stated duration of the course.
The learning platform is compatible with screen reader technology to assist those with visual impairments.
If you want to find out more about studying a short course, please contact us and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
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