Free dementia education workshops (Scotland)
DSDC is delighted to announce that RS Macdonald will be funding two more year’s worth of free dementia education workshops for family carers and volunteers, in Scotland.
“Everyone, all ages, should have an insight to this course and knowledge… This course has been an insight into the unknown world of dementia. I found the simple changes in life can be invaluable help to someone living with dementia.”
Running since 2017, DSDC has been able to support over 700 family carers and volunteers thanks to generous donations and funding from charities like RS Macdonald.
Families and volunteers are often at the forefront of support post diagnosis, and can experience first-hand how the lack of understanding can have a detrimental impact on the quality of life for both them and the person they support. Family carers also highlighted that post diagnostic support can be sporadic and they can feel very isolated and unsure of which way to turn.
On the other hand, the nature of volunteering sees volunteers supporting a variety of organisations at any one time, and volunteers won’t necessarily receive dementia specific education. Volunteer role(s) may not be predominantly to support those living with dementia, but the frequency of supporting families with dementia is becoming more prevalent. Feedback from volunteers highlighted their dementia knowledge and understanding is limited and they can be unsure as to the approach they should take and how a greater understanding could provide confidence in their role.
The project provides practical hints and solutions to issues that may arise and discuss how the environment and a person’s approach can have both positive and negative impacts on the lives of those living with dementia. An improved understanding in these areas can provide the foundations to enable both families and volunteers to support improved quality of life for those living with dementia, and provide families with the skills and understanding to promote living well when supporting a loved one.
The workshops have been very well received by both family carers and volunteers and we are delighted to be able to continue to offer the workshops across Scotland completely free of charge. Due to the current climate DSDC is offering blended learning options: workshops are available both online and face to face.
For more information, and to book onto a workshop, contact us.
Future dates can be found through the DSDC website. You can read more about the information included in the workshops through our Information Hub.
