Course description

Are you looking after a parent, partner, relative or friend who has dementia, or who you think may have it? This course is a warm, practical guide for family and friends who care. It explains what's happening in plain words, shows you how to communicate in ways that help, and gives you everyday ideas for care, safety and planning ahead, while reminding you that your own wellbeing matters too.

It's written for unpaid carers in the UK, whether you live with the person, nearby or far away. You learn what dementia is and the common types, how a diagnosis works, how to communicate well and why arguing rarely helps, everyday care from routines to sleep, keeping the home safe, understanding changes in behaviour, health issues to watch for including delirium, mental capacity, lasting power of attorney, benefits and carers' rights, getting help and looking after yourself, and, gently, the later stages and the end of life. You finish by writing a care and support plan for a made-up couple and comparing it with a worked model answer.

There are 10 sections and 50 written lessons, each with a worked example, common slips, questions people often ask and a short exercise to try, and each section ends with a short quiz. You follow Alwena, who lives in Hereford, as she cares for her mother, Branwen, from the first worries to a shared family plan. Every section has a practice pack with a worksheet, example answers, a cheat sheet and worked examples, plus practical extras: an About me profile sheet, a communication tips card, a daily routine planner, a home safety checklist, a behaviour diary, questions for the GP, a benefits and support checklist with official addresses, a carer's self-care plan, an emergency information sheet, sorting sheets with answer keys, a care and support plan template and a course glossary.

What you'll learn

• Understanding dementia: what dementia is and isn't, the common types in plain terms, how it can change over time, and recognising yourself as a carer.
• Getting a diagnosis and what happens after: raising your concerns, the GP appointment and the memory service, hearing the diagnosis, the care plan and the first few months.
• Communicating well: how communication changes, speaking so you can be understood, listening and body language, not arguing, and keeping connected as things change.
• Everyday care: routine and meaningful activities, eating and drinking, washing, dressing and dignity, continence, sleep and keeping active.
• Keeping the home safe: a dementia-friendly home, preventing and handling falls, the kitchen and medicines, walking about and getting lost, technology and emergency planning.
• Changes in behaviour: behaviour as a way of communicating, repetition and shadowing, late-day restlessness, suspicion and hallucinations, and anger and distress.
• Health issues to watch: pain when words are hard, infections and drinking enough, delirium, medicines and appointments, and when to call the GP, 111 or 999.
• Money, legal matters and planning: mental capacity, lasting power of attorney, benefits and discounts for the person and for you, carer's leave, driving and getting affairs in order.
• Getting help and looking after yourself: needs and carer's assessments, breaks, day centres and support groups, stress, guilt and grief, saying yes to help, and your own mental health.
• Later stages and your care and support plan: the later stages and planning ahead for the end of life, gently, then building a care and support plan for a made-up couple, with a worked model answer.

Who it's for

Family members, partners and friends who care for someone with dementia, or who are worried about someone's memory. You don't need any experience or medical knowledge. A notebook is all you need.

What this course is, and isn't

This course gives practical, general information for unpaid carers. It isn't medical, legal or financial advice, and it doesn't cover diagnosis or medicines: for health questions, talk to the GP, a pharmacist or the memory service. Health facts come from NHS pages, and money, rights and legal facts from GOV.UK and NHS pages, with England first and notes on where Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland differ. If someone's life is at risk, call 999 or go to A&E. Samaritans are free to call on 116 123, day or night. Alwena, Branwen and every other person in the course are fictional.

What will I learn?

• Explain in plain words what dementia is, the common types and how it can change over time
• Understand how a diagnosis is made, what a care plan covers and what to do in the first months
• Communicate in ways that help, giving time, asking one question at a time and responding to feelings rather than arguing
• Support everyday routines, activities, eating and drinking, washing, continence and sleep with dignity
• Make the home safer, reduce the risk of falls and getting lost, and plan for emergencies
• Understand changes in behaviour as a way of communicating, and respond calmly and safely
• Recognise pain, infections and sudden confusion, and know when to contact the GP, NHS 111 or 999
• Understand mental capacity, lasting power of attorney, the main benefits and your rights as a carer in England, and where the rest of the UK differs
• Get help from the council, the NHS and charities, take breaks and look after your own mental health
• Plan ahead gently for the later stages and write a practical care and support plan

Frequently asked questions