Dementia Champions: enhanced care practice

Worldwide, dementia affects over 55 million people, with numbers expected to rise to 139 million by 2050 (WHO 2021).  Age remains the most significant risk factor, with one in twenty over 65 and one in three over 80 developing dementia.  As populations age globally, hospital use by people with dementia will increase, creating significant challenges.  Experiences in general hospitals are often sub-optimal due to co-morbidities, longer stays and avoidable issues such as dehydration, falls and difficulties coping with care. 

The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated challenges worldwide, with people with dementia facing higher mortality, mental health deterioration, and isolation (Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) 2020).  The pandemic underscored the need for human-rights-based, person-centred approaches to dementia care.  Family carers endured immense burdens, contributing an estimated 260 billions hours globally (ADI 2021).  Rising living costs worldwide further threaten unpaid carers, likely increasing demand for health and social care services.  Stigma and discrimination towards people with dementia and family carers remain a significant problem, with many healthcare professionals mistakenly believing dementia is a normal part of ageing (ADI 2024).  International guidelines call for an appropriately educated dementia workforce to support the ongoing recovery from Covid-19, reducing stigma, supporting family carers and delivering services which are fit for all people with dementia.

Scotland's National Dementia Champions programme was developed with people with dementia, family carers and experts in health and social care and delivered for ten years.  This module offers students from any health and social care profession the opportunity to become a Dementia Champion with enhanced values, knowledge and skills on an internationally recognised education programme (Surr 2023, Jack-Waugh et al 2018, Banks 2014).

This module educates students to understand knowledge, skills and attributes required for dementia care in health and social care settings.  In particular, problem solving to the complexities of quality dementia care underpinned by professional development and quality standards when working with patients, carers and multi-agency teams. 

This module contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2023: SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing, SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG10: Reduced Inequalities.  (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2023: THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development.)

At the end of this module the student will be able to:

• Demonstrate a critical understanding of the knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes required for dementia care in health and social care settings.
• Identify, analyse and find solutions to the complexities in dementia care and apply evidence-based and ethical best practice to improve the physical and mental health care for people living with dementia. 
• Discuss and apply a critical understanding of how to lead fundamental healthcare delivery with people with dementia and family carers.
• Critically analyse how professional practice, professional development, and/or service standards are maintained when working with people with dementia, family carers, and multi-agency staff teams.

This is an SCQF Level 10 module and upon successful completion, participants will be awarded 20 credits. 

This module is offered under a series of modules from the School of Health and Life Sciences.

To view the module descriptor, please visit Programme Specifications and Module Descriptors 

 

Delivery 

This module is scheduled to start in September 2026.  It will run for 12 weeks and will be delivered on a Distance Learning basis.  A full timetable will be published in advance of course commencement.

 

Course presenter

This module will be delivered by Dr Anna Jack-Waugh.

 

NOTE: This is a university module and upon approval of your application, you will be invited to register and then supported to complete enrolment. To enrol on the university system, the first step involves security set-up using the Microsoft Authenticator app; you will need to ensure that you have a compatible smartphone.

Further enrolment information is available at the Student Information Portal.

To access this module via the CPD route, individuals should be ordinarily resident in Scotland.