4 hour Spark of Life Education:
Systematic and Efficient

The 4-hour education sessions offer a logistically convenient time frame while at the same time maintaining the depth and quality of the education and achieving the desired outcomes.

Each of the below programs equip participants with new Spark of Life Competencies that will enhance their work practices in 3 distinct ways through:

1. Best attitude and behaviour underpinning every interaction.
2. Deep understanding and knowledge to facilitate change from within.
3. Specific language and practical strategies to set up for success.

Overview of Education Programs

The following is an overview of the 4 most popular education programs. Each program can either be provided as a standalone 4-hour session or can be combined with the other programs into short courses.

‘How to Ignite the Spark of Life’.

This is a thorough introduction to the Spark of Life Philosophy facilitating a fundamental shift from being emotionally disengaged to being emotionally engaged, creating the foundation for an equal and respectful relationship that humanises the experience of dementia. This program also provides the basis for solving behaviours of concern and facilitating re-mentia. Participants gain deep understanding and the skills to connect with people who have dementia based on empathy, kindness, and compassion.

‘Solving and Preventing Behaviours of Concern’

In this session participants learn how to identify the underlying cause of angry, aggressive behaviour and prevent situations that could otherwise escalate and get out of hand. Participants are introduced to the Spark of Life Unmet Needs Identification Tool with its tailored, meaningful solutions. The long-lasting effect reduces the need for psychotropic restraint. This tool will be practiced as part of the session when solving everyday challenges that participants’ may share from their everyday experiences.

Solving Behaviours of Concern – Advanced Program

2 main topics will be covered in this 4-hour education program that builds on the competency gained in the session on: Solving and Preventing Behaviours of Concern.

1. ‘The Heart Has no Wrinkles’

This program addresses every aspect of the question: “What do you do when people with dementia have unmet sexual needs and express them overtly in ways that can be confronting, challenging, and uncomfortable for staff, families, and other residents or clients?” Participants learn to sensitively and compassionately understand unmet sexual needs, their rights and responsibilities and how to respectfully assert themselves if being touched, pinched, fondled, or approached for sexual favours.

2. Turning Stressful Showers into Enjoyable Experiences

This immensely practical and transformative session facilitates a helpful shift from ‘doing’ showers to providing enjoyable experiences turning them into something to look forward to for both people with dementia and staff. Participants are introduced to 9 questions to consider prior to the shower, 6 Solutions to turn a stressful shower into an enjoyable experience and 3 strategies to each of the major shower challenges.

‘Practical Strategies to Enrich Communication’

This is a unique session on how to restore language in people with dementia and increase the ability to communicate with people no matter what level of dementia they may have. Participants will be introduced to the 3 integral parts that together facilitate the recovery of language. They will learn how to listen with empathy, 3 new language strategies to mobilise vocabulary, and the Spark of Life Lead by Following Method to facilitate spontaneous language reablement.

Live Via Zoom

Spark of Life Education is provided live via Zoom for a health care service with their team of people being together in the same room. There can be participants in up to 4 venues/rooms which means that: 

• For larger health care services, each session can be shared between several sites 
• For smaller health care services, each session can be shared with other services who can then also share in the investment. 

We recommend up to 20 participants in each venue/room. 

The Education is highly interactive and is facilitated through an accelerated process that brings alive each topic and anchors the learning in the long-term memory. 

The language used is geared to people of all levels of English comprehension and can therefore be effortlessly embraced also by participants for whom English is not their first language. 

The presenter will be the Founder of Dementia Care International and the Spark of Life Philosophy, which means that participants will learn firsthand. 

How to Book

To enquire about the education sessions please email us at info@dementiacareinternational.com

Dementia Care International
Phone +61 (0)3 9727 2744
Fax +61 (0)3 9727 2766
Email: info@dementiacareinternational.com

We invite you to contact us for further details and to discuss your needs.