Baristas get more training than dementia carers, charity claims

• More than half of adult social care staff begin caring for patients without receiving any dementia training, according to new research.
• The Alzheimer's Society is demanding that dementia training be made mandatory, highlighting that baristas often receive more preparation than care workers for vulnerable adults.
• A study commissioned by the charity found that less than half (47 per cent) of social care staff received dementia training during their induction; Michelle Dyson, chief executive at the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “Baristas can receive more training to make great coffee than care workers receive to provide dementia care”.
• The research also revealed that existing dementia training packages are often brief, with only a third meeting recommended levels for staff regularly supporting people with dementia.
• Only 52 per cent of surveyed staff felt very competent in the care they provided, prompting calls for comprehensive training to prevent inadequate care for the estimated one million people in the UK with dementia.

IN FULL

Majority of care staff don’t receive dementia training when first looking after elderly