Staff working with elderly individuals—particularly those living with dementia—may regularly encounter behaviours that challenge, including agitation, confusion, resistance, or distress. These behaviours are often a form of communication linked to unmet needs, cognitive decline, or environmental factors.
Without the right understanding and approach, situations can escalate, increasing the risk of harm, distress, and reduced quality of care.
This is particularly relevant across:
- NHS settings, including wards, outpatient services, and community care
- Care homes and residential settings, supporting individuals with dementia and complex needs
- Supported living and home care services, working with individuals in familiar environments
- Hospitals and acute settings, where unfamiliar surroundings can increase confusion and distress
Our training supports organisations in delivering safe, compassionate care while meeting their duty of care under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. It also aligns with CQC standards, dementia care best practice, and person-centred care principles.
This course combines behavioural understanding with practical strategies, helping staff respond to behaviours in a way that reduces distress and promotes positive outcomes.
Content is tailored to your organisation, but typically includes:
- Understanding dementia and its impact on behaviour
Exploring how cognitive decline, memory loss, and confusion influence behaviour and communication
- Recognising the causes of behaviours that challenge
Identifying unmet needs, environmental triggers, pain, fear, and frustration as underlying factors
- Person-centred and compassionate approaches to care
Supporting dignity, respect, and individual needs in all interactions
- Early recognition of escalation and distress
Identifying subtle changes in behaviour and emotional state
- Communication strategies for dementia care
Adapting language, tone, and approach to support understanding and reduce anxiety
- De-escalation techniques in dementia-related situations
Using calm, supportive approaches to reduce agitation and distress
- Emotional awareness and self-management for staff
Maintaining patience, empathy, and professionalism in challenging situations
- Safe positioning and personal safety strategies
Reducing risk while maintaining supportive and non-threatening interactions
- Responding to behaviours safely and proportionately
Managing situations in a way that prioritises safety without causing further distress
- Scenario-based training aligned to care environments
Realistic examples based on dementia care settings to embed learning
- Post-incident reflection and learning
Supporting continuous improvement, reporting, and staff wellbeing
