Dementia Awareness Training for Frontline Staff in association with Bluebird Care and the DCU Dementia Elevator Team

In Ireland, it is currently estimated that 42,000 people have some form of dementia, and these figures are likely to increase dramatically to between 65,000 and 140,000 over the next 30 years. Dementia can affect all of us. There may be people in your family, community, or indeed some of your customers living with dementia that you are unaware of and in need of your support.

With this in mind, Wexford Chamber have teamed up with Bluebird Care Wexford and the DCU Dementia Elevator team to bring you Dementia Awareness Training for frontline staff, which aims to enable customer facing staff to recognise the emotions, goals and coping strategies of the person with dementia.

Who Should Attend?

While primarily focused around the retail environment and employees dealing with the general public, the content of this programme is also widely applicable to families of a person with dementia and in general will be very beneficial to anyone who wishes to learn more about dementia.

Aim

• To develop familiarity and raise awareness of dementia
• Break down the stigma associated with Dementia
• Encourage employees to support people with dementia in their community
• Equip customer facing staff, whether a local shop or a large multiple organisation, with the skills to support and engage appropriately with customers with dementia.

Objective

On completion of this training programme, participants will be able to:

• Recognise when a customer may have dementia
• Identify common challenges a person with dementia may encounter in retail/public situations
• Consider a range of options for supporting the person when faced with these challenges
• Identify ways of improving the retail environment to become more dementia friendly.

Who are Bluebird Care?

Bluebird Care provide Home Care services throughout County Wexford to people of all ages and all abilities so that they can live independently at home and in their community.   A national organisation with 23 offices nationwide and almost 1,000 employees, Bluebird Care provides care and support to older people, people with physical disabilities, people with intellectual disabilities as well as care for children.

What is Dementia Elevator?

Dementia Elevator is an education and empowerment programme to help individuals, community services and health care services engage with and support people affected by dementia. The project is a partnership between Dublin City University and the HSE.

This event is open to Chamber Members and Non-Members.  

Pre-booking is essential as places are limited.  To book a place, please contact Wexford Chamber on 053 9122226 or email Josephine Dunlop at admin@wexfordchamber.ie