Exeter University dementia project to 'humanise the condition' to students
Families affected by dementia in Exeter, Torbay, and Teignbridge are being invited to participate in a programme to help train young healthcare students.
Last updated 18th Aug 2021
The University of Exeter’s Time For Dementia scheme pairs families affected by dementia with undergraduate students looking to gain experience caring for people with the condition. Participants will be visited by pairs of students up to six times in the next two years, with the first meeting being virtual due to covid concerns.Lauren Wonnacott, Project Manager for Time for Dementia said it’s important that students get practical experience in the field.
She added: “For the students, the informal nature of the programme means that students get to know the families outside of the clinical setting. It means that they can see the person behind the dementia. It really helps to humanise the condition.”
The practical learning scheme was the first of its kind when it launched in 2014: its rollout in Exeter is its latest expansion after existing schemes began across Essex, Surrey, and Kent.
Students are provided regular contact with a person with dementia, and their carer, to get them used to working in similar environments once they begin work. It is funded by the Alzheimer’s Society: a national charity that funds research and supports people living with the condition.
The scheme also asks students to report back on their experiences, who often say that it challenged their worldview on dementia. It also improves their communication skills, and confidence working with the condition.
Lauren explains that families also benefit. “They feel like they’re getting their voice back, they can share their experience of what it’s like to live with a long-term condition like dementia.
"That helps them to feel valued. They’ve got these young students coming to see them every couple of months, who are really just coming to listen.”
Find out more about the scheme by visiting alzheimers.org.uk/timefordementia or emailing directly timefordementia@alzheimers.org.uk