Professional/Short course Principles of Dementia Care

Entry year: 2025/26
Course code: UZTRWL203
Application: University
Level: Professional/Short Course
School: School of Health and Social Wellbeing
Duration: 1day a week over 8 weeks
Delivery: Distance learning (online)
Course Director: Janine Davey

Introduction

You may be able to study these modules at Level 6 (BSc level) or Level 7 (Masters level) depending on your academic circumstances. Please contact the CPD Team or the Module Leader for advice if you are unsure which level would be best for you.

This 20 credit Principles of Dementia Care distance learning module is suitable for multi-professions and designed for all dementia care contexts.

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

At level 6 (UZTRWL-20-3):

critique the dominant theories, concepts, philosophies and practices that influence the delivery of person-centred dementia care.
evaluate the available evidence base that supports effective communication with people with dementia and reduces the disabling effects of malignant social psychology in care contexts.
analyse unmet need and psycho-social approaches to enhance the emotional and psychological well-being of people with dementia and reduce challenging presentations.
discuss the legal and ethical issues relevant to practice with people with dementia.
appraise the evidence base that encourages a partnership approach with the person's family/carers, to develop effective, innovative and collaborative practice.

At level 7 (UZTRWR-20-M):

critique the dominant theories, concepts, philosophies and practices that influence the delivery of person-centred dementia care.
critically evaluate the available evidence base that supports effective communication with people with dementia and reduces the disabling effects of malignant social psychology in care contexts.
critically explore unmet need and psycho-social approaches to enhance the emotional and psychological well-being of people with dementia and reduce challenging presentations.
critically explore the legal and ethical issues relevant to practice with people with dementia, providing a critical rationale for decision making and risk taking.
critically appraise the evidence base that encourages a partnership approach with the person's family/carers, to develop effective, innovative and collaborative practice.
synthesise the evidence and argue a practice change perspective that promotes positive approaches to care within the practitioner's clinical area.

Careers / Further study

This module can contribute towards:

BSc(Hons) Specialist Practice (District Nursing)
BSc(Hons) Health and Social Care
MSc Specialist Practice (District Nursing)
MSc Advanced Practice
Professional Development Award

Structure

Content

This multi-professional level 6 (undergraduate level) or level 7 (Masters level) course syllabus typically includes:

Person centred care:

Development of theories relating to person centred dementia care.
Maintaining identity/Promoting Agency through occupation/Sharing decision making.
The promotion of personhood and selfhood despite dementia.
Global psychological and emotional considerations of the person with dementia.

Complexities of care:

The inter relationship of physical and mental health in people with dementia.
Psycho-social approaches to challenging issues in care; non-pharmacological approaches in dementia care.
Ethical aspects of dementia care and ethical decision making.
Aspects of positive communication with people with dementia.
Malignant social psychology and care cultures.
The assessment of people with learning disability and dementia.
Behavioural and psychological symptoms and dementia and promoting working with unmet need.

Family work and dementia:

Creating effective partnerships with carers and families and the impact of caring for a person with dementia on family relationships.
Anticipatory death/grief.

Socio-cultural aspects of dementia:

The experience of black and ethnic minorities, and dementia, including sociocultural differences in care giving roles.

Patho-physiology:

Patho-physiology of dominant dementia syndromes and lifestyle associated risk factors for dementia.
Relevant pharmacological approaches and outcomes.

Practice development:

Models of change to enhance aspects of clinical practice.
Resistors to change in clinical practice.
Partnership approaches to aspects of services that can enhance the lives of people with dementia and their carers.

Learning and Teaching

Delivery of this module is via distance learning (online).

The module will be supported by a Blackboard module site where a range of course materials will be available. You will be expected to access reading materials through the Blackboard site, and engage with additional activities such as accessing video and weblinks.

Discussion boards will be enabled for student use, facilitated by the module leader. A range of TEL resources will be utilised as directed study activities.

Study time

You will typically attend online taught sessions one day a week for eight weeks (each day six hours) over the course of the module.

Assessment

A 3,000 word assignment.

At level 6, you are expected to critically evaluate, synthesise and provide evidence based perspectives to support their argument. This should include a critical exploration of the literature and a debate of the wider sociopolitical implications of dementia care that may impact on the person's care.

At level 7, you are expected to critically evaluate, synthesise and provide independent perspectives regarding the practice/service development. This should include a critical exploration of the literature and a debate of the wider socio-political implications of dementia care that may impact on the successful implementation of the development.

Features

Study facilities

The College of Health, Science and Society has an excellent reputation for the quality of its teaching and the facilities it provides.

Take a personalised virtual tour of the Health Professions facilities and experience what a typical day could look like here for you.

Prices and dates

Supplementary fee information

Please visit full fee information to see the price brackets for our modules.

Please note: Priority will be given to applications received through our funded educational contracts. Places on this module will be limited for applications received outside of this funding. Please check with your employer as a funded contract place may still be available to support your learning.

Dates

Please click on the Apply Now button to view dates.

How to apply

Please click on the Apply Now button to apply for your CPD module, which you can take as a stand-alone course or as part of an undergraduate or postgraduate (Masters level) programme.

Extra information

If the course you are applying for is fully online or blended learning, please note that you are expected to provide your own headsets/microphones.

For further information

Email: pd@uwe.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)117 32 81158

You can also follow us on Twitter @UWEhasCPD.