Walking with Dementia – for Community Support Groups

This session will be delivered by Esther Mackillican and Dr Julie Taylor

Esther has worked as a specialist in dementia care for 15 years, starting in care homes in London and Somerset before training as a nurse 8 years ago. She is hugely passionate about ensuring all people living with dementia and their carers have access to timely, appropriate and personalised care, including advance care planning and that their decisions about End of Life care are heard and acted on. As an Admiral Nurse for Dorothy House her role is supported by the team at Dementia UK which enables all of us and those we support to access their resources available to people affected by dementia.

As a nurse, Julie is passionate about evidence based practice. Her PhD followed people through from pre to post diagnosis, exploring adjustment and in some case acceptance. As a senior lecturer she is vastly experienced in teaching from T-levels and TNA, through Undergraduate to Postgraduate Masters levels. Having been at Dorothy House for two years, this has reaffirmed her belief that the best teachers are the patients and their families.

Support workers or volunteers in the community working for charities or organisations who support people living with dementia.

It will consist of a half day teaching and half day workshop led by a range of different professionals involved in dementia care. It will help you gain knowledge and skills to enable you to continue supporting those living with dementias and their families right through to end of life.

The session will include topics such as:

• Understanding dementia
• Supporting distressed behaviours
• Advanced care planning
• End of life care for those living in community settings and their own homes