Dawn's Dementia Training in Exeter

Congratulations to Exeter Supervisor, and Dementia Friends Champion, who delivered her first accredited dementia training this January.

Exeter Supervisor and Dementia Friends Champion, Dawn, delivered her first accredited Dementia Training Session this month.

Dawn became an accredited dementia trainer in 2017. She is extremely passionate about helping make a positive difference to people living with dementia in her Exeter community.

Congratulations on delivering your first session as an accredited trainer, Dawn. What was the aim of the dementia training and why is it so important for our care staff to take part?

The purpose of the training was to help our care staff develop a deeper understanding of dementia, and provide them with the skills and tools they need to provide a positive, person-centred and enabling level of care to people living with dementia. This involves how best to support customers and their families, how to communicate with empathy and understanding, and how to recognise other health concerns.

Living with dementia can often be quite an isolated experience. I really wanted to help our care team better understand that experience, so that they can help our customers feel less isolated and increase their daily wellbeing.



Have you had a lot of professional interaction with customers living with dementia?

Yes. During my previous work as a Care Assistant, I worked with a lot of customers living with dementia. But I wasn't as involved in dementia specifically until I joined Bluebird care. They provided me with lots of opportunities to learn more about the condition and to take training courses to strengthen my understanding. I also became the local Dementia Friends Champion for Exeter. At the end of 2017 I was given the opportunity to become an accredited trainer, so that I can share my knowledge and experience with other members of our team.


What was a highlight of the training session?

The session went really well, and the care workers were so engrossed in it all. They were taking notes, getting into long discussions, sharing their experiences. A particular highlight was when I created an imaginary scenario for them to place themselves in, to help them better understand what it might be like to live with dementia. Everyone felt very moved and quite emotional. It was an absolute pleasure to train my team members in such an important area of their work.