Care Skills Academy: Leading The Way With Dementia Training
Our Care Skills Academy launch in 2025 made us really think about what training and skills were needed in our teams, and what areas required extra focus. There are estimated to be over 8000 people living with dementia in Oxfordshire, though that figure is likely much higher, so we wanted to offer training to our team that wasn’t solely an e-learning module or a quick discussion during a CarePro team meeting. Chloe, our wonderful Trainer, completed a course so she could train a City & Guild’s accredited dementia foundation course. This coincided brilliantly with our Care Skills Academy launch, and we’ve now successfully trained Care Professionals in our Oxford and Swindon offices, who now have the qualification.
What does the course contain?
The Dementia Foundation Course is made up of a series of in-depth modules, exploring not only the experience of the person living with dementia, but also the vital roles of their family, Care Professionals and the environment around them. Chloe guides our team through the impact dementia can have, the importance of person-centred care, effective communication techniques, and how to better understand and respond to common challenges. The course also provides practical guidance on what to consider when supporting someone with dementia and best-practice approaches to delivering compassionate, high-quality care.
Rich in detail and discussion, the training equips our Care Professionals with the knowledge, tools and confidence they need to provide the right support. Delivered through a blend of virtual and classroom-based learning, the course creates valuable space for shared experiences, open conversations and collaborative problem-solving.
How impactful has it been?
Chloe’s most recent training group for our Oxford branch was the lovely Lucie, Colin and Odette. Each of them enjoyed the training and gave us some wonderful feedback.
Colin said “the course highlighted that dementia can affect an individual in many different ways and that any solutions should be tailored to that individual and their needs. It also identified typical dementia symptoms and then offered various suggestions a Care Pro can use to improve the lives of a client, from activities to nutrition. A very useful course that offers many insights ideas”.
Lucie said “I really got a lot out of it. Chloe was incredibly informative and compassionate. The structure and pace of the training was perfect with lots of videos and thought provoking material. I really appreciated this training opportunity as it has given me so much more understanding and confidence in supporting my clients with this disease”.
Odette said “the course was really informative with so many good pointers. I used the “tell me about it” phrase with client M and it opened up doors to conversations we had never had before – he told me the world is a better place because people like us care about people like him. I used it again later in the day with client S and her face lit up like she was being invited into a whole new world!”.
Huge thanks to Colin, Lucie and Odette for sharing feedback and for taking part in the training!
Helping our community with dementia support
At Home Instead Oxford, we are passionate about supporting people living with dementia to live well and independently at home. Through our commitment to continuity of care and consistent, scheduled visit times, we provide the stability and familiarity that is so important for dementia care. Remaining in the comfort of home, surrounded by treasured memories and routines, can make a meaningful difference to our clients’ wellbeing.
As part of our Care Skills Academy, our goal is to ensure every one of our Care Professionals receives specialist dementia training – a mission we are proud to be actively working towards. We’ve already seen the positive impact this training has had, strengthening our ability to deliver truly high-quality, person-centred care.
We are also extending our dementia awareness sessions beyond our own team, offering training to clients and their families. Dementia can feel overwhelming to understand and navigate, which is why, through our Later Life; Better Informed campaign, we aim to provide practical guidance, reassurance and support. By sharing knowledge and building confidence, we hope to empower families to face the journey ahead feeling better informed and supported. If you’d like to discuss this further, reach out to Josh, our Care Manager, at josh.jureczko@homeinsteadoxford.co.uk.
