Free online dementia care training for paid and unpaid carers delivered by St Clare Hospice
Led by Joanne Morrison, Dementia Support Co-ordinator | Tier 1 Foundation Level
St Clare Hospice’s Introduction to Namaste Care workshop is a free online training session designed to support both paid care staff and unpaid family carers who look after people living with advanced dementia across West Essex and East Hertfordshire.
This interactive online workshop provides practical skills, compassionate approaches and essential knowledge to help carers improve quality of life for people with advanced dementia through the internationally recognised Namaste Care approach.
Who is this workshop for?
This free workshop forms part of St Clare Hospice’s Tier 1 Foundation training, introducing the core principles of Namaste Care, a person-centred, multi-sensory care programme that focuses on connection, comfort and dignity.
Participants will learn how to use simple, meaningful activities to support people living with advanced dementia to feel calmer, more engaged and emotionally supported.
This workshop is ideal for:
- Family members caring for a loved one with advanced dementia
- Unpaid carers supporting someone at home
- Care home staff
- Domiciliary and home care workers
- Health and social care professionals
If you support someone living with advanced dementia in West Essex or East Hertfordshire, this training will provide practical tools you can use immediately in your caring role. No previous formal training is required.
About the workshop
Duration: 2 hours
Format: Online via Zoom
Time: 2pm to 4pm
Facilitator: Joanne Morrison, St Clare Hospice’s Dementia Support Co-ordinator
Supporting speaker: Caroline Ashton, Admiral Nurse, Princess Alexandra Hospital
Namaste Care is an internationally recognised dementia care programme which teaches you to use simple activities that stimulate the five senses (touch, hearing, sight, smell, taste) to help people with dementia connect and engage with others.
The word Namaste is a Hindi greeting that means ‘to honour the spirit within’, which reflects the compassionate philosophy at the heart of this approach. Multi-sensory activities can involve music, food and drink as well as therapeutic touch and massage. These basic principles are simple to learn and easy to put into practice when caring for someone with dementia.
What makes this training valuable?
Introduction to Namaste Care aims to empower both unpaid carers and paid care staff to deliver high-quality, compassionate care to local people living with advanced dementia.
- Learn from dementia care experts, including St Clare’s Dementia Support Co-ordinator and an Admiral Nurse
- Discover practical and easy to apply techniques that you can use immediately in everyday caring situations to support wellbeing and connection
Following on from this introductory course, attendees will be invited to join a Namaste Network Group, where they will be able to share best practice, successes and learning points from putting Namaste care into practice within the caring work environment.
Benefits to carers
This workshop supports carers by:
- Increasing confidence in supporting people with advanced dementia
- Reducing feelings of helplessness when communication becomes difficult
- Providing simple tools to improve quality of life for those you care for
- Helping carers feel more emotionally connected to the person they support
- Offering reassurance that small, meaningful actions can make a big difference
How to book this Introduction to Namaste Care workshop
This online workshop is free to attend, but places are limited so early booking is essential. To secure your place today, complete the online form below.
For more information about St Clare Hospice’s Dementia Support Service, please contact Joanne Morrison on 07534 031702 or email dementia@stclarehospice.org.uk.
To learn more about St Clare Hospice’s Education and Training programme, click here. Alternatively, email our Education Team at education@stclarehospice.org.uk to discuss your training requirements.
Alzheimer’s Society ‘Working to Become Dementia Friendly’ Accreditation
In January 2024, St Clare Hospice were recognised by the Alzheimer’s Society and awarded ‘Working to Become Dementia Friendly’ accreditation, as a result of our commitment to improving the experience of people living with dementia, their families and carers.