Overview
This credit-bearing continuing professional development course aims to examine the underlying principles theories, concepts, policies, and practices that underpin the organisation and delivery of dementia care.
Dementia is a national and global priority due to its substantial personal, relational, and societal impact. People living with dementia have complex health and social care needs and require increasing levels of support and care as dementia progresses.
Successful implementation of person-centred care and relationship-centred care requires practitioners to be equipped with knowledge and skills and be empowered to deliver high-quality care often within impoverished care environments. In addition, progressive efforts to innovate, promote quality and integrate care are impacted on by the reality of resource constraints.
National and global strategies aim to improve the lives of people with dementia, their families and the people who care for them while decreasing the impact of dementia on communities and countries. The module will provide a supportive and academically challenging environment within which students will develop a critical understanding of how policies have helped shape the delivery of services.
We will also examine how policy is informed and draws upon evidence-based practice and the findings from research activities.
Cost and funding: This fee covers the full course cost.
Credits: 20
Assessment method: Written assessment
Teaching staff
Dr Federica D’Andrea
Dr Federica D’Andrea is a Lecturer for the MSc in Dementia Studies at the Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory, School of Medicine and Biosciences, University of West London.
Federica’s research responds to significant questions of innovative provisions, promotion of quality of life in the context of ageing and care for people with dementia.
Her inventive research programme utilises stakeholder-engaged, mixed method approaches to investigate the under-explored field of olfactory stimulation in dementia care. This body of work has led to the development and design of a novel theory- and evidence-based multi-sensory intervention for people with dementia living in care homes, including thematic boxes with olfactory stimuli and heritage items.
Federica has extensive experience in collaborating with cultural, business, and charitable organisations in her research. Recently Federica collaborated with such a Givaudan Ltd, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust charity (CW+), Boots UK Archive, and Heathrow Airport Archive to develop innovative multisensory approaches to dementia care.
Before joining the University of West London in 2022, Federica worked on the implementation and evaluation of the PriDem project at University College London, developing and implementing primary care led post-diagnostic care in dementia. Federica has extensive experience exploring the significance and potential clinical impact of olfactory in dementia care. Previously she has collaborated with Givaudan Ltd to explore the relationship between smell and memory. As part of an Arts Council England Museum Resilience funded Creative Conversations project, she investigated the impact of a multi-centre cultural intervention for mental health service users. Federica has also investigated the efficacy of cognitive training for older people at the University of Padua (Italy).
Study and career progression
This course be taken as a standalone module or the credits can be used towards the following courses:
- MSc Dementia Studies: Contemporary Approaches to Practice
- PgCert Dementia Studies: Contemporary Approaches to Practice
- PgDip Dementia Studies: Contemporary Approaches to Practice
Contact us
For more information about our range of dementia courses, please contact Dr Federica D'Andrea.