Conclusion

Communication for people with dementia is very in-depth. It is knowledge that we need to develop over time and build our skills. It cannot be learned entirely through attending a course such as this. We need to connect to the positive life experience of others and this course was just the first stage of giving you this knowledge. Unlike any other e-learning session, we are going to stay in contact with you for the next 12 months and I'm now going to tell you how you will be able to access further learning for free. Thereby continuing your pathway to becoming a level five status. To start, you have now completed the course, you need to go to the Dementia Dictionary website (www.dementiadictionary.com) and find the feedback form page. (This form can also be found in the Course Resources via your Training Dashboard) Please complete the community addition feedback form and you will need to tick the box that confirms you give us permission to email you. If you do not complete this feedback form, then unfortunately, you will not be able to access further learning. If you decide that you do not want further learning and information, then please do not tick this box, as we can only send you details with this ticked. You will, however, receive a certificate for the course that you have taken today.

Once ticked, you will then be sent the following: A letter congratulating you on completing level one status, how to achieve level two, access to your first module as a dementia interpreter, a certificate of achievement for completing level one course and a link allowing you to register as a level one status community edition on the dementia interpreters forum. To make sure you have access to all this further learning, you need to ensure that you have completed the feedback form. I know I've now spoken to you about this several times, but without it, we cannot legally contact you.

So what are the modules? There are 12 modules that will be sent to you one per month and again, totally free. First, the importance of advanced care planning tools, what not to do when communicating, how to communicate using food and what it says to you, when is the right and the wrong time to talk, the impact of the environment on communication, understanding sounds and hearing issues and how to overcome them, what emotions will be exhibited by people who have dementia, eyesight and why it's a barrier to successful conversations, what is aphasia and why is this such a major issue for people who have dementia, how can we use pictures to aid communication, what communication products are available and why we need to use them and finally, why is communication so important when providing personal care. These modules will be filmed and also written so that we can ensure that everyone can access them.

There's no exam. You do not have to watch or read them to progress through the levels, but these modules contain so much valuable information that will help you better understand how to successfully be a dementia interpreter. They will be placed in your message inbox on your new profile page, but again, only if you have completed your feedback form from the Dementia Dictionary website and given us permission to contact you. You will receive an email whenever new things go into your inbox asking you to log back in. The information may be modules, could be letters, research, products, information, details about services and training in your area and so on. It will also give you information about how to achieve level two status. To be part of level two, you have to ensure that you have completed your profile on the website. The second part is dependent on which country you live in, but there will be full details sent to you within your message inbox on your profile. When you have completed level two, you will be emailed another letter on how to achieve level three status. Once you have achieved level three, we hope that you are being very active on the dementia interpreters forum and will receive a coveted dementia interpreters badge to wear with pride.

This is a worldwide interpreter forum. 100% free of charge. That is probably the only place that you will be connected to people that are committed to changing the understanding of dementia globally. You will be able to be involved in discussions on the forum, work, or help other interpreters to translate behaviours, noises, actions that will then be published in the world's first Dementia Dictionary. The Dementia Dictionary is a freely available service to everyone in the world. People will be able to come to the site and ask questions about behaviours, actions, noises, etcetera, to understand what a person with dementia is trying to tell them. It works similar to any search engine on the internet, where you put a question into the search box and it cleverly finds the answers to what you were asking. They will then be able to read what the issue is, what we believe the person with dementia is trying to say and then some advice on how to deal with this to improve the situation or maybe even resolve the issue. There will be more than one answer to read as we recognise that everyone is different, so one explanation won't work for all. The person can then try the next one until eventually they find one that works.

Now, unlike a search engine like Google, this site does not search the internet; It only searches the content of the Dementia Dictionary. All content from the dictionary will be written by the dementia interpreters through the dementia interpreters forum, which now you can be a part of. You will connect to the other dementia interpreters around the world and be able to discuss the answers to questions about what the person is communicating. This means that the translations are made by thousands of people that actually work with people who have dementia. You will then be able to take part in voting up translations that will be published in the actual dictionary. Every person who has a translation up-voted and defined will have their name published in the dictionary, so that you are recognised for the commitment you have shown. This dictionary and the research that you will be involved in will shape the knowledge and understanding of communication moving forward.

It's completely free for 12 months for you to achieve up to level four, so you really have nothing to lose. If you then wish to proceed to level five, you will need to take one further live webinar course at a cost of £60. In American dollars, it's around $80. If you do not achieve level five and wish to continue to stay as a dementia interpreter and receive up-to-date information, further modules, new knowledge, new research, then you would pay a tiny subscription of just £20; Around about $28 in American money. And this is for the next 12 months. A level five dementia interpreter has so many benefits. If you live with, work with or have any connection with people who have dementia, this really is one of the most important qualifications to have. You will continue to receive one module each month. You will be part of the global network of dementia interpreters, you will receive information about dementia products being launched, you will be able to vote on the international dementia interpreters awards, you will receive further learning and opportunities, but most importantly, we will help you to reconnect 54 million people worldwide to their families.