Online dementia course

Understanding changed behaviours

3 hrs 30 mins

3 weeks

Cost free

Certificate of Completion

Known course issue for mobile and tablet users only. Click here to find out more.

Increase your knowledge of caring for a person experiencing dementia-related changed behaviours and explore how people with dementia may express their needs through behaviour, rather than word.

Suitable for people working in:

Residential Care, Community Care, Mixed, Respite Care

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DTA currently uses different terms for behaviour. We will be progressively moving to the term Changed Behaviour in all our content.

About this Course

This course is designed to help you better understand how to care for a person experiencing dementia-related changed behaviours.

You will be able to make a positive difference to people living with dementia who are expressing changed behaviours through increased knowledge and understanding of:

How changed behaviours are assessed
How they may be reduced, and
How their impact on the person with dementia (or those around them) may be minimised.

The entire course consists of 7 modules. You could also choose to take Modules 1-4 as a base level introduction to changed behaviours. Modules 1-4 cover planning, implementing and evaluating strategies using two case study examples. Modules 5-7 explore three specific changed behaviours and cultural considerations for caring with people living with dementia who are Indigenous Australians or have a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background.

Learning Outcomes

By completing this course, you will be able to:

Explain the concept of changed behaviours in dementia and the models used to understand the potential underlying causes.
Outline the assessment processes, tools and interventions appropriate for some specific behaviour examples.
Critically analyse scenarios and select suitable evidenced-based interventions.
Recognise the value of assessment and ongoing evaluation in the care of people with changed behaviours.
Identify a variety of resources that can be readily accessed as reference materials to support your practice.

+ More learning outcomes

Outline the assessment process and questions you could use for the person in the case study, focusing particularly on their disruptive vocalisation behaviour
Outline some key factors to consider when developing an intervention plan for a person with changed behaviours
Use the assessment data to guide the selection of interventions that meet the goals of care and achieve measurable outcomes
Differentiate ways to demonstrate a person-centred approach
Identify possible interventions to try in the VDB case study
Explain the important features of evaluating interventions to determine the level of effectiveness
Outline some key elements related to the assessment of a person with dementia experiencing agitation
Outline the key elements to include when assessing a person with wandering behaviour
Use the Risky Wandering and Adverse Outcomes (RWAO) model to suggest the probable consequences of wandering behaviour in the case study
Select possible interventions that evidence suggests may be useful to trial in managing wandering behaviour
Identify successful interventions used in the case study and indicate how effectiveness could be determined.
Outline the key elements to include in the assessment of a person with mood and/ or behaviour suggesting an underlying depression, or possibly comorbid anxiety
Use the NDB model and case study to suggest probable consequences of depressed or anxious mood
Select evidence-informed interventions to address behavioural changes related to depressed or anxious mood
Outline the key approaches to consider when caring for someone from an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander background
Outline the key elements to include in the assessment of a person responding with aggressive behaviours
Identify the probable factors contributing to aggressive behaviour, using the Progressively Lowered Stress Threshold Model
Select evidence-informed interventions to trial in managing aggressive behaviour.
Identify any successful interventions used in Jayita’s case study and indicate how the effectiveness of these could be determined
Outline the key approaches to consider when caring for someone from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background

In this course, you will complete the following modules:

Module 1

What are changed behaviours?

This module introduces changed behaviours, the concept of behaviour communicating needs and how using frameworks can help you to address...

Module 2

Identifying and collecting information

Introducing the key questions and practices that are part of a comprehensive behaviour assessment, with a focus on vocally disruptive...

Module 3

Planning and implementing strategies

This module steps you through how you can use a person-centred approach to design an appropriate system of intervention for...

Module 4

Evaluating effectiveness of strategies

This module steps you through the methods and processes you can use to identify whether a particular intervention has been...

Module 5

Case study – Wandering behaviour

Using a case study, we describe wandering in the context of dementia, explore how to use tools and models to...

Module 6

Case study – Anxiety and depression

This module explores the characteristics of depression and anxiety in the context of dementia and the cultural considerations when caring...

Module 7

Case study – Aggressive behaviour

We consider the nature of aggressive behaviour and how identifying the underlying issues allows interventions to be trialled. Caring for...

Continuing Professional Development

Completion of this course provides 4 hours of continuing professional development. A Certificate of Completion is awarded upon successful completion.

The Understanding Changed Behaviours online course was developed at DTA, QUT by Prof Elizabeth Beattie, Liz Miles and Sandra Jeavons, with Martin van de Weyer and the Smart Sparrow team. This resource is based on a training program originally developed by the Queensland Dementia Training Study Centre at QUT.

The team acknowledges members of the expert panel who shared their advice and insights in video segments throughout the course:

Professor Nancy Pachana, Co-Director, Ageing Mind Initiative, The University of Queensland
Dr Eddy Strivens, Regional Geriatrician and Clinical Director, Older Persons Subacute and Rehabilitation Services, Cairns & Hinterland Health Service
Dr David Lie, Director, Older Persons Mental Health Service, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane

Ready to get started?

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Benefits of learning with DTA

Increase your knowledge of dementia
Real life examples to help you put knowledge into practice
Learn anytime, anywhere
Phone and Tablet friendly
Certificate of Completion
Cost Free for Learners

Getting started

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Online courses contain modules that have been grouped together based on their topic area. Each module within a course must be completed and in the defined order.

Modules can be completed individually and in any order. You may choose to complete any module, based on your areas of interest.

Some modules may have prerequisites. If a module has a prerequisite you’ll need to complete that first to ensure you have the essential prior knowledge required. Modules with a prerequisite will be clearly marked.

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