Teaching students to understand dementia

Funded by Health Education England (HEE), the Alzheimer’s Society’s award-winning ‘Time for Dementia’ was launched three years ago at Brighton and Sussex Medical School and the University of Surrey. Now, thanks to its success and further funding from HEE, it will be rolled out to the universities of Greenwich, Canterbury Christ Church and Brighton.

The launch will be held at Canterbury Christ Church University and will include talks and discussions from students and families who are currently taking part in the studies in Sussex and Surrey.

Dr Jane Morris, Deputy Head of the University of Brighton’s School of Health Sciences, said: “We are delighted that our students will be taking part in the Time for Dementia programme. This innovative educational approach will provide them with a unique opportunity to understand what it is really like to live with a long term health condition like dementia, and what families and services can do to help over a two year period.

Photo by Sam Wheeler on Unsplash

“Students are looking forward to inter-professional learning opportunities: translating the experience gained into a valuable change in clinical practice and to improving communication with people living with dementia.”

The programme allows pairs of students to visit families affected by dementia over two-year periods. The visits provide opportunities to see people with dementia in their own homes, to see how a diagnosis of dementia can affect people and to see the challenges and changes they may face over time.

Lauren Merrison, Alzheimer’s Society Project Manager for Time for Dementia, said: “We’re delighted to be able to grow the project into other counties. Students in Surrey and Sussex have told us that they’re more aware of dementia and not only how it affects the person with dementia and their carer, but also their family life.

“We think it is of the utmost importance to involve people with a diagnosis of dementia and their carers or family on the training of these student healthcare professionals. This programme gives the students a chance to learn from the experts on dementia – the people directly affected by the condition. It’s a good way for them to gain knowledge first hand of what it’s like living with dementia and the challenges they have to overcome.

“There are more than 23,900 people living with dementia in Kent and Medway alone and it’s crucial that more people in the field of healthcare are aware of the condition.”

To find out more about the programme or to get involved contact Lauren Merrison at the Alzheimer’s Society timefordementia@alzheimers.org.uk.