Specialist dementia care trainers announced by Care UK

Care UK, one of the UK’s largest care providers, has announced the appointment of three specialist dementia trainers, as the company aims to prioritise driving up dementia care capabilities through access to an award-winning training and care programme.

Head of dementia care at Care UK, Maizie Mears-Owen, named the three trainers as Gill Winter, Andrew Potts and Mark Harrison. As part of the training, all three individuals will experience simulated conditions designed to help them better understand how people with a failing cognitive ability actually feel; achieved using glasses that blur vision, headphones that deliver white noise and gloves that restrict the movement of fingers.

The team of trainers will then target 86 of the provider’s care homes, in England and Scotland, as well as 12 day care services that are dedicated to having a positive effect on the lives and well-being of individuals with conditions like Alzheimer’s who are experiencing memory loss.

Commenting on the training programme, Maizie Mears-Owen said:

“Participants find the training very emotional, but there is lots of feedback that shows they are better able to empathise with people with dementia. It will be a big programme of training, as we believe everyone who works in a home, not just those delivering care, should be trained to ensure everyone who a resident meets has the empathy and skills to understand their needs and experience. I think the new training team will find the job incredibly rewarding.”

On the new team Ms Mears-Owen also said: “They are a strong and dedicated group and I know our homes across the country are looking forward to meeting them and taking on our new generation of training.”

Image: Mark Harrison (North/Scotland), Maizie Mears-Owen, Gill Winter (South/London), Andrew Potts (London/Essex/Suffolk/Cambs)