Course Description

The Certificate in Dementia Care programme is a unique programme developed by LHP Skillnet. It is designed for those who wish to enhance their skills and deepen their understanding of the specialist area of dementia care with a view to career advancement and enhancing the level of care they provide to their clients and service users.

The programme is the first Dementia Care programme in Ireland to be accredited by QQI at Level 5.

AIM

The aim of the programme is to equip the student with the knowledge, skills and competence to provide person-centred holistic care and support for a person living with dementia, and their family.

Graduates will have a greater understanding of dementia and associated conditions which will enable them to become holistic, person-centred, reflective healthcare workers.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

On completion of this programme, the student will be able to …

1.  Explain the term dementia, classify the associated subsets and the characteristics of their presentation 

2.  Identify and describe how delirium and frailty impact on the person living with dementia

3.  Discuss the lived experiences of people living with dementia and their families and how it can impact on their activities of living

4.  Explore the concept of personhood and person-centred care and outline the benefits to applying this approach

5.  Explore how you can implement a person-centred approach in your everyday work as a healthcare assistant

6.  Identity a person-centred care framework and outline the role of the healthcare assistant as a person-centred care provider to those in their care who live with dementia and their family

7.  Apply a reflective practise model and discuss its application in their work

8.  Demonstrate effective communication and interpersonal skills when providing care

9.  Identify and discuss the non-cognitive symptoms of dementia (NCSD) and recognise contributing factors

10.  Demonstrate appropriate communication and interpersonal skills when managing non-cognitive symptoms of dementia (NCSD)

11.  Respond appropriately to non-cognitive symptoms of dementia (NCSD)  

CONTENT

The programme, delivered over nine weeks, consists of six units. The programme will commence with a live Induction session where the students will be introduced to their tutor and fellow students. The tutor will outline the programme's aims and objectives along with the assessment requirements. Subsequently, one unit is delivered per week with a study week mid-way through the programme. Each unit contains a mix of self-directed learning activities, pre-recorded tutorials and a live tutorial. In the final week, students will undergo a skills assessment and receive one-to-one feedback.

THE SIX UNITS

• Understanding Dementia (Foundations & Core Principles)
• Delirium and Frailty & Dementia
• Reflective Practice and Non Cognitive Symptoms of Dementia (NCSD)
• Understanding the lived Experiences of People with Dementia
• Person-Centred Care & Personhood
• Communication Theory and Skill for Dementia Care Practice

DELIVERY

The design of the programme facilitates a flexible yet structured forum to study

The programme is delivered through LHP Skillnet’s Moodle eLearning platform. This allows students to complete much of the programme at a time of their choosing.

Each week, tutors will provide learners with study materials, activities, and tasks. These can take a variety of forms, for example, videos, discussion forums, quizzes and questionnaires.

Scheduled live tutorials will take place weekly.



ASSESSMENT

Learners will be assessed as below:

• Assignment - 30% 
• Skills Assessment - 40% 
• Learner Record - 30% 

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

The target students are Healthcare Assistants (HCAs) working in the health and social care sector in Ireland across all settings (i.e. acute, residential, nursing home or home care settings) who hold a minimum QQI Level 5 healthcare or related Major Awards.

The programme will also be open to other healthcare professionals working in the area of dementia care (for example nurses, occupational therapists, doctors, Speech and Language Therapist (SALT), and physiotherapists).

The programme is designed for those who wish to enhance their skills and deepen their understanding of the specialist area of dementia care with a view to career advancement and enhancing the level of care they provide to their clients and service users.



ENTRY CRITERIA

Learners on this programme must meet the following criteria:

• Graduates of minimum QQI Level 5 Major Award in health or social care programme or cognate discipline or equivalent healthcare qualification (Healthcare Support, Health Services Skills, Nursing Studies, Community Care, Applied Social Studies).
• Minimum of 6x months clinical experience of working with people with dementia
• Be able to attend all timetabled classes and complete the specified hours of selfdirected learning (student commitment is approximately 6-8 hours per week)
• Be in a position to apply the knowledge and practice the skills in an appropriate setting for the duration of the programme
• Possess necessary computer skills to work in a blended learning environment
• Possess a sufficent level of competency in the English language to undergo the programme.