Published on July 23, 2023
Dementia hits close to home for a lot of Singaporeans — many of us may have loved ones with the condition or know someone caring for one. Currently, one in 10 people over the age of 60 has dementia in Singapore. This number is expected to rise, given Singapore’s increasing life expectancy and rapidly ageing population. Thus, Community Care staff need to stay ahead of the curve and explore ways to better care for people living with dementia and their caregivers.
One solution is to equip Community Care staff across all levels with the appropriate knowledge and skills to provide holistic client and caregiver support. And this can be achieved by conducting high-quality training.
Integrated Care for Dementia, a course run by Dementia Singapore, caters to Community Care staff such as nurses, allied health professionals, social workers, and counsellors whose role involves providing support and intervention for persons with dementia and their caregivers. Course participants will be equipped with the know-how to better address and support the medical, psychological, and social needs of persons living with dementia and their caregivers.
What participants will learn
Participants will learn how to adopt an integrated, Person-Centred Care approach to tailor a care plan for people living with dementia and their caregivers. It also teaches participants how to provide caregiver guidance and feedback on planning activities to ensure the well-being of their loved ones with dementia. Doing so builds trust and strengthens relationships between the staff and their clients and caregivers.
On top of that, participants can also pick up self-care tips to help them cope with stress and avoid burnout. The course will equip them with intervention strategies on how to respond to their clients’ behavioural changes, minimising the impact of these changes on caregivers and their families.
For instance, Sandra Tan Yee Yee from Assisi Hospice said that the course helped her “…apply the ‘Unmet needs model’ to manage clients with behaviours of concern issues.”
How the course is taught
The course is taught through a combination of e-learning modules that participants can complete on their own, and in-classroom training sessions that includes group work and discussions.
Many participants found the in-person training to be a good learning experience, as it created an opportunity to exchange ideas and insights. It also helped them understand the coursework better.
Nurlina Binte Jumaat from SPD said, “I enjoyed the application of the models and how they consolidated what we learned through the use of case studies, the model, and various tools. We also formed goals, and action plans, among others, on the final day. This gave me a clearer structure on how to solve problems in various situations.”
Raihana from Assisi Hospice agreeed: “I like the role play and group discussions the most.”
The group discussions also gave participants the opportunity to interact and learn from one another. Nur Adila Binte Mohamad Yusof from Dementia Singapore said, “I enjoyed having the opportunity to learn from professionals from various professions,” while Fiona Ong, from the same Community Care organisation told us that she liked how the “clear explanation and sharing by trainers and classroom discussions” helped her understand the concepts easily.
Thinking about registering for the course or having your staff attend it? Visit the Wizlearn Technologies Learning Management System to register and learn more about the Integrated Care for Dementia course. You can also explore other dementia care-related courses Dementia Singapore offers.
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