Enhancing the dining experience for individuals living with dementia is an essential part of promoting their dignity, well-being, and quality of life. This masterclass provides an immersive learning experience, equipping attendees with practical tools to tackle common barriers such as sensory challenges, environmental distractions, and behavioural issues that affect mealtimes. The course integrates key principles from UK national frameworks, including the NICE Guidelines for Dementia Care and CQC Standards on Person-Centered Care, ensuring participants meet regulatory expectations while delivering meaningful, compassionate support.
Delegates will explore strategies such as tailoring meals to individual needs, optimizing dining environments, and fostering engagement through effective communication, all rooted in evidence-based practices. They will gain insights into meeting nutritional requirements, adapting to sensory and cognitive changes, and implementing practical solutions to overcome emotional responses at mealtimes. .
Aligned with UK policies emphasising personalised and holistic care, such as the NHS Long Term Plan for Dementia and the CQC Fundamental Standards, the masterclass underscores the "must-dos" for delivering high-quality mealtime experiences.
This masterclass will enable you to:
Gain a foundational understanding of how dementia affects sensory perception, motor skills, memory, and behaviour during mealtimes.
Identify common environmental, physical, and cognitive barriers that can prevent people living with dementia from fully enjoying meals.
Develop techniques to effectively communicate and engage with people living with dementia during mealtimes, fostering dignity and independence.
Learn what you can do when a person living with dementia chooses not to eat.
Why our language at mealtimes matters
Understand how to create dementia enabling dining spaces
Create a 5 star ‘in room’ mealtime experience
How to reduce the risks of malnutrition
The difference between calorie dense fortification and nutrient dense meals and how to build more nutrients into meals.
