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ICAN – Interaction, Communication and Needs Dementia Training
Every interaction matters.
For people living with dementia, the way you communicate and care can shape how they experience the world.
Many health and social care professionals are not always given the skills or confidence they need to truly connect.
The ICAN Dementia Training Programme (Interaction, Communication and Needs) helps health and social care professionals understand the meaning behind behaviour and develop the confidence to deliver compassionate, person-centred dementia care.
Rather than asking "What's wrong with this person?", ICAN encourages you to ask, "What is this person trying to tell us?" By recognising unmet physical, emotional, psychological, social and environmental needs, you'll develop practical approaches that improve communication, reduce distress and enhance quality of life for people living with dementia.
Programme Overview
This 5-week interactive online programme supports you to build on your existing experience, helping you feel more confident in delivering compassionate, person-centred dementia care.
The concept of unmet needs in dementia care is a central theme running through the programme. You will explore the complexities of dementia, including sensory changes and different communication styles, in a safe and supportive space where you can reflect on real-life challenges and consider sensitive topics such as ‘therapeutic lying’ and restraint.
Delivered by specialists with over 10 years of experience, this training brings together the well-known approaches including Teepa Snow’s Positive Approach to Care™, Joyce Simard’s Namaste Care, and the underpinning theory of Professor Ian James’ 8 Needs Model.
By combining these frameworks, you will gain practical tools and approaches to strengthen your confidence, enhance your practice, and make a meaningful difference to the lives of people living with dementia.
Key Areas
- Introduction to Dementia and the core concepts of the programme
- Building blocks to communicating with people with dementia
- Enhanced Communication Skills
- Therapeutic Approaches
- Personalised Care Planning
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the five sessions, you will be able to:
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Explore the core principles underpinning person-centred dementia care.
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Recognise unmet needs and identify practical ways to meet them.
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Identify common communication barriers and apply verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to effectively interact with individuals at different stages of dementia.
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Explain and implement a range of therapeutic approaches to support emotional wellbeing and reduce distress in people with dementia. Drawing on Namaste Care principles and practice.
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Learn how to develop and evaluate person-centred care plans that reflect individual needs, preferences, history, and changing abilities, using a psychosocial emotional lens.
Details
- Length: 5 sessions, each session is 2 hours long. Each session is mandatory
- Suitable for: All Health, Social Care staff caring for patients with dementia, .
- Delivered: Online via Microsoft Teams
Cost
- Funded: Fully funded for those working in Cheshire East. People working outside Cheshire East are welcome at a cost.
- Programme Cost: £200 per person (includes all 5 sessions).
Dates
Details of programme dates and times:
September Programme
Wednesdays - Online
9:30 am - 11:30 am
Start Date: 2/9/2026,
Week 2: 9/9,
Week 3: 16/9,
Week 4: 23/9,
Week 5: 30/9
October Programme
Thursdays - Online
9:30 am - 11:30 am
Start Date: 1/10/2026,
Week 2: 8/10,
Week 3: 15/10,
Week 4: 22/10,
Week 5: 29/10
January Programme
Wednesday - Online
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Start Date: 13/01/2027,
Week 2: 20/01,
Week 3: 27/01,
Week 4: 03/02,
Week 5: 10/02