About our courses

Enriched Communication can offer:

  • Specialist training on dementia and responding to the changing brain, skills and needs of people
  • Teepa Snow PAC® accredited training
  • Provision of Dementia Care Mapping™ (DCM™)
  • One to one and group coaching support

Training

Individual training programs delivered by a highly experienced trainer on communication, eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties in later life, enriched care planning, the changing brain and reducing/responding to stress and distress for the person being cared for. These sessions can be tailored to the needs/presenting conditions of a home’s residents.

It has been long understood that adult learners possess significantly distinct learning styles and extensive life experience, which can effectively influence their motivation, understanding and transference of information into everyday activities. We know that adults draw on their own experience and any information needs to have a link to what they do now. Purely theory driven sessions are therefore less motivational. Learning sessions aim to develop a sense of coherence for the learner:

· That what they are learning can be easily understood

· That what they are learning has relevance to everyday situations

· That they have the ability to implement change themselves i.e. it is manageable

Principles of delivery

It is key that sessions engage an approach that encompasses a variety of learning styles so that each attendee has the opportunity to engage and learn in a way that is meaningful to them.

· Face-to-face delivery by an experienced facilitator able to create a safe learning environment that supports questioning and discussion

· Engaging and interactive content that includes opportunities for discussion

· The use of in-person, video or written scenarios as a basis for discussion

· Tailored to the service setting and role of learners

· Inclusion of theoretical/knowledge-based content alongside opportunities to apply learning in practice

· Tailored training to the individual needs of groups of learners, including opportunities for them to bring along and discuss their own practice examples and problems

· Materials that are clear, succinct and jargon free and which consider the learners and their literacy levels

Evaluations

Across each session a range of evaluation tools are used to capture data from attendees to evaluate if the sessions are successful in meeting the requirements of the learner. A range of question styles will address how people process/consider concepts e.g. sometimes we might say How did that clip make you feel? (Kinesthetic), Could you see what affected them in that clip? (Visual), What was the main thing you heard in that clip? (auditory).

The learning outcomes of each session will be captured by:

· A record of the responses from any polls / quizzes that are used within the sessions to capture understanding and views of attendees.

· Use feedback surveys after each session to request further detailed information about attendee experience of the session.

· Collating the above data and regularly monitoring any trends that would indicate a session needs a change of approach.

Approach to learning

All courses utilise an Adult Experiential Learning Cycle (AELC) approach to teaching content and care partnering activities (Kolb, 1984). The AELC approach includes engaging students in an “experience,” sharing or reflecting about the experience, processing how the activity felt, generalizing about the activity, and discussion regarding application in various healthcare settings.

Standard Courses delivered are:

EDS 1: Eating, Drinking and Swallowing difficulties in adults

Dementia, acquired and/or other progressive neurological conditions, mental health conditions such as schizophrenia (as applicable).

Duration: Half day workshop

Aims: To develop understanding and management of eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties

Objectives: By the end of the session, participants will be able to:

  • Understand the fundamentals in the normal process of swallowing
  • Understand the consequences of any difficulties in eating, drinking, and swallowing from a bio-psycho-social perspective
  • Identify risk factors for swallowing difficulties
  • Discuss the signs and symptoms of swallowing difficulties
  • Describe ways to support eating and drinking difficulties to reduce the risk of any bio-psycho-social consequences
  • Be aware of the IDDSI levels
  • Discuss ethical issues in eating and drinking with acknowledged risk
EDS 2: As per EDS1 plus an additional half day skills-based workshop

Duration: 1 day total

Aims: To develop understanding and management of eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties plus develop skills in supporting a person with dementia to eat and drink. An opportunity to see common utensils which can be of use will be provided.

Objectives: As per EDS1 plus:

By the end of the session, attendees will be able to:

  • Demonstrate use of the hand-under-hand™ technique to support someone to eat and drink.
  • Demonstrate a positive approach and positive connectors with a person prior to the meal to orientate the person to the activity.
  • Demonstrate appropriate communication skills to support a person throughout the meal.
  • Identify common challenges which people face with eating and drinking and discuss strategies to support these challenges.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the IDDSI levels.
  • Experience the impact of common challenges on the dining experience e.g. taste, vision, hearing, touch, pace.
DA: Dementia Awareness: 2-hour session

For all staff who may be directly or indirectly working with people with dementia. Aligned to The Health Education England Dementia Standards Training Framework at Tier 1

Aims: To raise dementia awareness, in terms of knowledge, skills and attitudes for all those working in health and care settings

Objectives: The learner will:

  • know what is meant by the term dementia. be aware of the prevalence of dementia in the UK population.
  • be able to recognise signs of dementia and be aware that these signs may be associated with other conditions or circumstances.
  • know what actions individuals can take to reduce their risk of dementia, or to delay onset know why early diagnosis of dementia is important.
  • know the actions that people affected by dementia can take to live as well as possible after diagnosis.
  • understand the importance of recognising a person with dementia as a unique individual.
  • be aware of the impact of dementia on individuals, families, and society.
  • be able to communicate effectively and compassionately with individuals who have dementia.
  • understand reasons why a person with dementia may exhibit signs of distress and how behaviours seen in people with dementia may be a means for communicating unmet needs.
  • be able to signpost individuals, families and carers to dementia advice, support, and information.
EMC: Enriched Model of Care

Duration: half day

For all staff who provide personalised direct care and support to people with dementia. Aligned to The Health Education England Dementia Standards Training Framework at Tier 2*.

Aims: To develop and understanding of Kitwood’s Enriched Model of Care to support a person living with dementia and their carers.

“When you have met one person with dementia, you have met one person with dementia’” – Tom Kitwood

Objectives: By the end of the session, participants will:

  • understand the principles of person-centred dementia care i.e. Enriched care planning.
  • discuss how personality, life experiences, social and psychological needs, and health alongside neurological impairment influences a person’s response to dementia.
  • be able to support individuals to continue their interests, social life and community involvement and know why this is important.

*This can be further supported by ongoing learning opportunities to ensure all applicable areas of the framework are covered and can be discussed as required.

FoC: The Fundamentals of Care

Duration: 1 day

For all staff who provide personalised direct care and support to people with dementia. Aligned to The Health Education England Dementia Standards Training Framework at Tier 2*.

Aims: To develop knowledge and skill to support a person living with dementia and their carers.

Objectives: By the end of the session, participants will:

  • know the most common types of dementia in the UK and their underlying causes.
  • know the progressive nature of dementia and some of the major impairments and difficulties people may face as dementia progresses.
  • understand the principles of person-centred dementia care i.e. Enriched care planning.
  • know to include personality, life experiences, social and psychological needs and health among the influences on a person’s response to their response to dementia.
  • know the importance of relationships and interactions with others to the person with dementia, and their potential for promoting well-being know how to adapt the environment to meet the changing needs of people with dementia to reduce stress and distress.
  • be able to support individuals to meet their daily living needs.
  • be able to support individuals to continue their interests, social life and community involvement and know why this is important.
  • understand the stress and distress model and how to support a person across the spectrum of cognitive impairments.

*Fundamentals of care can be further supported by ongoing learning opportunities to ensure all applicable areas of the framework are covered and can be discussed as required.

PAC: Positive Approach to Care Teepa Snow (Accredited trainer)

Duration: 1 day

The training is delivered by certified PAC™ trainers and is a face-to-face practical one-day course. For all staff who are providing personalised direct care and support to people with dementia

Aim: Developed by Teepa Snow, the Positive Approach to Care™ concept aims to support people living with dementia by equipping both formal and informal carers with specific skills aimed at increasing understanding of what it is like to live with dementia.

Objectives: By the end of the session participants will be able to :

  • Apply a Positive Physical Approach™ (PPA) and Hand Under Hand™ (HUH) in everyday situations.
  • Explain the importance of doing “with”, not “to” a person living with dementia.
  • Discuss how brain changes impact on a person’s function.
  • Discuss the traditional models understanding stages of dementia, and the correlating GEM for each (sapphire, diamond, emerald, amber, ruby, pearl).
  • Discuss how the GEMS™ model can to facilitate positive, supportive communication between the care partner and the person being cared for.
Dementia Care Mapping™ (DCM)

DCM™ is an observational tool and a process of change for organisations. It is an established approach to achieving and embedding person-centered care; It empowers staff teams to improve the quality of care for people living with dementia and is recognised by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Best practice guidance is to have two mappers during a mapping period, but many care homes only have one mapper in the house. With extensive experience in DCM™, Sue can provide:

  • Introduction to mapping into care homes to ensure its smooth implementation and support for the care home team, residents and family members with any concerns of fears.
  • Implementation of Mapping itself.
  • Report writing with recommendations, highlighting good practice and areas for future development.
  • Where an organisation has a member of staff or a team of staff completing their qualification, Sue is also available to support them with mentoring and support whilst they develop experience in the mapping process.

Coaching Support

By providing a safe and confidential space for individuals to talk through their challenges, issues and concerns their true potential is stretched. I am a fully qualified, experienced executive coach and believe that people have within them the ability to work out their own innovative solutions to care; coaching will enable this to happen whilst at the same time enhancing self- confidence.

“The training addressed some of the practical issues of living with someone who has dementia and how life/interaction can be improved to the benefit of both parties”