Dementia Practice Series: Care Empathia – Dementia Skills

The Dementia Practice Continuing Professional Development (CPD) series from the Alzheimer Scotland Centre for Policy and Practice (ASCPP) at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) provide focused, practice-based learning for professionals working across health, social care, workplaces, and community settings.

Delivered as live online half-day sessions, these interactive courses equip participants with the knowledge, confidence, and practical skills needed to support people living with dementia and those who care for them. These sessions can contribute to CPD, revalidation (NMC, HCPC) and the achievement of professional objectives.

Sessions combine evidence-informed teaching, case studies, group discussion, and practical exercises, enabling participants to deepen their understanding of dementia and its impact on individuals, families, workplaces, and society.

Key topics include:

• Trauma-informed approaches to practice and care
• Ageing, Frailty and Dementia
• Care Empathia – Dementia Skills 
  

A fourth session will be developed based upon participant feedback.

These sessions are designed for professionals across health and social care, HR and organisational leadership, community services, and informal caregiving roles, supporting the delivery of person-centred, compassionate, and evidence-informed care and support.

Upon completion, individuals will receive a Certification of Participation. 

 

Funding

Places on these sessions are available at no cost to participants, made possible through the generous charitable contribution of Sylvia Aitken Charitable Trust, The Barrack Charitable Trust and J Macdonald Menzies Charitable Trust. This support enables the Alzheimer Scotland Centre for Policy and Practice at UWS to provide accessible professional learning opportunities in dementia care and practice.

 

Care Empathia – Dementia Skills

Care Empathia is the signature educational approach developed by the Alzheimer Scotland Centre for Policy and Practice.

This approach integrates knowledge, empathy, and practical action to support meaningful and compassionate dementia care.

Learning is structured around three interconnected dimensions:

• Head – understanding the science and theory of dementia
• Heart – engaging with the emotional and lived experience of dementia
• Hand – applying practical skills to improve care and support

Through discussion, simulation exercises, and reflective learning, participants will explore how values, empathy, and evidence-based knowledge can inform safe and compassionate practice.

This session provides practical tools that participants can apply immediately to improve support for people living with dementia.

 

Who is this course for?

This course is suitable for professionals providing frontline care and support to people living with dementia and their families.

 

What you will learn

Participants will:

• Gain an understanding of the Care Empathia approach to the fundamentals of care.
• Consider how Care Empathia contributes to person-centred, safe, effective and professional care of people with dementia.
• Reflect on their own practice and consider how Care Empathia may develop their approaches.

 

How you will learn

Delivered as a live, 3-hour online session, this course combines short presentations with interactive discussion, case studies, and group activities. The format encourages participants to reflect on their own professional context and develop practical approaches they can apply. 

This session will take place on Tuesday 29^th September, 2-5pm.

 

Course presenters

Dr Anna Jack-Waugh is a Senior Lecturer in dementia and mental health nurse at the Alzheimer Scotland Centre for Policy and Practice at UWS. Anna has been involved in research and education projects globally. She teaches and leads the integration of dementia education in undergraduate and postgraduate Nursing and Paramedic programmes at UWS and the Carers Academy. Anna is a co-chair of the Higher Education Dementia Network and on the INTERDEM Task Force on Dementia Education. Her work has resulted in over thirty research outputs on dementia education for all.

Vinodhini Murugavel (Vino) is a Lecturer in mental health with extensive clinical, academic, and community experience across India and Scotland. Her work reflects a strong commitment to culturally responsive practice, informed by lived insights into migration and dementia care. She has held roles including Community Psychiatric Nurse and Addiction Nurse Practitioner. Vino is on the Alzheimer Scotland Carers Academy partnership and contributes to teaching, mentorship, curriculum development, and student engagement across nursing education at UWS.