About Alison Watson-Shields
Dementia Trainer · PAC® Certified Independent Trainer · Founder, Young At Heart ULO CIC
My connection to dementia care
My involvement in dementia care didn’t begin in a classroom. It began in real life — as a volunteer at a local dementia café, as a home carer, and as a granddaughter.
I cared for my grandmother, who lived with Dementia with Lewy Bodies, until her passing in 2020. That experience — alongside more than two decades of professional work in dementia-related roles — has given me a perspective on dementia that goes beyond knowledge and qualifications. I know what it feels like to be the person in the room who doesn’t know what to do next. And I know how much difference the right knowledge, skills, and support can make.
That’s what drives everything I do — whether I’m delivering training to a care home team, running a peer support group for family carers, or writing about dementia on this blog.
My background and qualifications
I hold a BSc in Health and Social Care from The Open University and an MSc in Dementia Studies from the University of Stirling. I am a Positive Approach to Care® Certified Independent Consultant and Trainer — certified to deliver PAC® training programmes developed by internationally recognised dementia specialist Teepa Snow.
Since earning my PAC® Trainer certification in 2024, I have trained over 200 people, including care home staff, social workers, NHS reablement teams, social prescribers, library staff, and family carers. I have delivered training for Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, care homes and residential providers, GP practice-based social prescribers, and community organisations.
Before focusing on training, I spent many years working directly in dementia care — volunteering, providing home care, and running community programmes. That hands-on experience informs everything I deliver.
My approach to training
I believe that good dementia training changes not just what people know — but what they do.
All of my training is grounded in the Positive Approach to Care® framework, which is built around relationship-centred care, practical skill development, and a genuine respect for the person living with dementia. Sessions are interactive and experiential — participants don’t just sit and listen, they explore, discuss, practise, and reflect.
I also try to be honest about the complexity of dementia care. It isn’t always straightforward. There are no scripts that work every time. But with the right understanding and the right skills, everyone who supports someone living with dementia can make a real and meaningful difference.
My goal is to send people away not just better informed, but more confident, more compassionate, and better equipped to put what they’ve learned into practice from the very next day.
I also try to be honest about something that training programmes don’t always say out loud: most people supporting someone living with dementia are already doing their best. Real-world care is rarely textbook-perfect. But the moment you pause and ask why something happened, or what the person might have been trying to communicate — that’s already doing better. Reflection isn’t a luxury. It’s the work.
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” — Maya Angelou
Young At Heart ULO CIC
Alongside my training work, I am the founder of Young At Heart ULO CIC — a not-for-profit community interest company based in Stockton-on-Tees, dedicated to supporting people living with dementia and their carers.
Young At Heart provides peer support groups, inclusive community activities, Cognitive Stimulation Therapy, musical activities, physical exercise, and practical signposting for individuals and families navigating dementia. It was through my work at Young At Heart that I first began delivering dementia training, responding to requests from carers who wanted to understand more about the condition affecting their loved ones.
The two organisations — Young At Heart and this training practice — are separate but deeply connected. Both are rooted in the same belief: that with the right knowledge, skills, and community around them, people living with dementia can continue to live with dignity, purpose, and joy.
What participants say
Anonymous
This training should be rolled out across health and social care, including GP surgeries and first responders.
Pamela Hardy
Would now like to know more. Love the cancer analogy as a [way] of an expla[nation].
Millicent Agyeman
Really enjoyed this session because it was more practical and engaging
Christine Robinson
Very knowledgeable, informative day
Council Librarian
Very important training that is useful for the advances in dementia care and creating a wonderful toolkit of resources of understanding people as an individual for the length of their care. Brilliant training. Thank you
Get in touch
Whether you want to find out more about training, discuss a bespoke booking for your organisation, or just have a question — I’d love to hear from you.