Understanding Challenging Behaviour in Dementia
A practical, discussion-based session for anyone supporting a person living with dementia — delivered by Alison Watson-Shields, PAC® Certified Independent Trainer.
About this session
When someone living with dementia is experiencing an unmet need, the people supporting them may encounter anger, physical resistance, agitation, hallucinations, or other responses that feel difficult to understand or manage. As a carer or care professional, this can leave you feeling distressed, frustrated, or unsure how to help.
This session helps you make sense of what’s happening — and gives you practical skills to respond more confidently.
Using a combination of presentation, video content from Positive Approach to Care®, and facilitated small group discussion, this session is designed to be interactive and immediately applicable to real situations. It runs for approximately 2 hours.
What you will learn
By the end of this session you will be able to:
- Identify the physical and emotional unmet needs that may be driving challenging situations
- Explore how to figure out the problem, ease the discomfort, and help the person feel at ease
- Use hands-on techniques to connect and comfort using visual, verbal, physical, and emotional communication
- Apply Teepa Snow’s Six Pieces of the Puzzle to create a more meaningful care approach
- Practise using Hand-under-Hand® and Positive Physical Approach™ techniques
Who is this session for?
This session is suitable for family carers, care home staff, domiciliary care workers, social care professionals, and anyone who regularly supports a person living with dementia. No prior knowledge is required, though it works particularly well for those who have already completed an introductory dementia awareness session.
Practical details
Format: In person, small group discussion based
Duration: Approximately 90 minutes — allow up to 2 hours
Delivery: Available at your organisation’s location, at a venue, or as an open community session
Availability: Across the UK, in person or online
Cost: Pricing on request for organisational bookings.
Open community dates announced when available.
Interested in this session?
To find out about upcoming open dates, or to arrange this session for your team or organisation, get in touch. Places on open sessions are limited so early registration is recommended.
From the training room
Questions and topics that come up during Understanding Challenging Behaviour sessions — explored in more depth here.