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What it takes to become a professional dementia carer

Learn the differences between dementia vs delirium in older adults

There are many variations of the professional home carer role, with carers able to specialise in the areas that bring them most fulfilment, or that their personality or previous experience make them particularly suited to. Professional dementia carers are in high demand, so here, we are putting the role under the microscope to find out more about specialist dementia care, the education and training required for a job in this field, the types of jobs available, what day-to-day life looks like as a dementia carer, the core skills and qualities you should have, the legal considerations, and the opportunities for career advancement. 

At Home Instead, our aim is to help people age positively and in place by bringing expert care to their home. For nearly 20 years, we have been providing the highest standard of care, and creating industry-leading training programmes for our Care Professionals that are accredited by nursing and medical professionals. Today, we are the world’s largest global domiciliary care network, supporting over 100,000 older adults with personalised, tailored care at home. Whatever questions you have about becoming a professional dementia carer, we can help. 

dementia carer

What does a professional dementia carer do?

Dementia care is a field of professional caregiving focusing on dementia, and offering those with the condition – and their loved ones – the appropriate care to help with specific symptoms. Dementia care supports them in continuing to feel calm, content and as independent as possible relative to the progression of their condition.  

According to Alzheimer’s Disease International, there were more than 55 million people living with dementia around the world in 2020, and this number is expected to almost double every 20 years, leading to a possible 78 million people with dementia in 2030. As the number of people with the condition increases, the demand for specialist dementia carers grows. The general home care industry is estimated to have an additional half-a-million job opportunities by 2035, so whether you are brand new to the field of home care or you are already working in this industry and keen to specialise in dementia care, there are many opportunities to support you. 

A dementia care role can be incredibly rewarding, as you have the chance to help families navigate the complexities of looking after a loved one during this difficult time in life, and feel like you are making a difference. You could also get involved in respite care to give family caregivers a much-needed break, and experience variety in your role by finding unique and creative ways to keep your client engaged and content. There are plenty of opportunities to learn new skills in a dementia care role, collaborate with medical professionals to better understand the condition, and find job satisfaction in everyday activities. 

What is dementia?

Dementia is an umbrella term describing a number of progressive neurological disorders that impair cognitive function beyond what is expected with the normal ageing process. A person with dementia is likely to experience issues with their memory, reasoning skills, and the ability to perform daily activities effectively. Eventually, their condition will advance to the level where they may struggle to perform basic tasks, and people around them may notice changes to their personality. 

The Alzheimer’s Society estimates around 900,000 people currently live with dementia in the UK, and this is predicted to rise to 1.6 million by 2040, meaning a lot more people will require specialist dementia care for different types of dementia, such as: 

There are also several stages of dementia to know about. These are:

  1. Early stage dementia – Sometimes referred to as mild dementia, this is the stage where the person first starts to experience mild symptoms and may still be able to function mostly as normal, with minimal care needs.
  2. Middle stage dementia – Sometimes referred to as moderate dementia, this stage is when symptoms are more noticeable and interfere with the person’s daily life and abilities. More support will be needed, and dementia care may be put in place. 
  3. Late stage dementia – Sometimes referred to as severe dementia, this stage is when a person is likely to require full-time care for all of their personal care needs. They may experience a complete loss of ability to communicate, and need constant care.
  4. End-of-life care – In the final months or weeks of severe dementia, a person may reach end-of-life care stage where they will require palliative care to manage pain, and care will be focused on keeping them comfortable so they can die with dignity. 

You can learn more about the different types of dementia and how it progresses in our guides to the types of dementia and managing the stages of dementia.

dementia carer

What is the role of a specialist dementia carer?

A person and their family will experience many challenges during the course of dementia, and having specialist dementia care in place to support them during this time can be a big help. As a specialist dementia carer, you will play a vital role in providing tailored support and care to both the person with dementia and their loved ones. Dementia carers are trained to understand the specific needs and challenges of dementia patients, including managing cognitive decline, memory loss, and behavioural changes. 

As a dementia carer, your responsibilities may include:

  • Creating a safe and supportive home environment
  • Assisting with daily activities such as personal care or cooking
  • Providing cognitively stimulating activities, such as dementia-friendly games
  • Implementing strategies to enhance the person’s quality of life
  • Offering emotional support to the person and their families, to help them navigate the complexities of the condition

The expertise of a dementia carer provides compassionate, patient-centred care that promotes dignity and wellbeing for those affected by dementia and their families. 

What educational requirements are there for being a professional dementia carer?

We like to make sure aspiring carers know that, although you will require specialised training to become a dementia carer, you can apply for a care position with us at Home Instead without any former experience or training – we will ensure you have all of the educational requirements, training and support you need to get started in this industry. 

In the UK, you can become a professional carer by completing Level 1, 2 and 3 qualifications in Health and Social Care to learn the required skills, with specific routes from level 2 onwards for those interested in becoming a dementia carer. You can do this at college or university, however if you have no previous qualifications and would like to learn these skills in an environment where you can practise and provide real help to people while you train, Home Instead can help you do this. 

We have partnered with the world’s best training organisations to offer advanced professional development opportunities that can open up a number of career pathways for our carers. Our industry-leading training will help you to build the foundations of a great career in care work that gives you the skills and confidence to continue developing as one of our trusted Care Professionals. You can do this specifically in the field of dementia care if you feel it is for you. 

Our training has two Princess Royal Training Awards for our dementia training and end-of-life training, and is City & Guilds Assured. It is also Continual Professional Development certified, and our partnerships with Alzheimer’s Society and other relevant organisations mean we have a finger on the pulse of the latest dementia care practices. 

What does dementia care entail?

The day-to-day work involved in dementia care will vary depending on the type of dementia the person has, the symptoms they are experiencing, and the stage of dementia they are in. For example, someone in the early stages of Posterior Cortical Atrophy (PCA) dementia will experience very different symptoms to someone in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s. 

If you are considering a job as a dementia carer, it is impossible to say exactly what your daily role will look like, but as an overview you may need to be involved in a number of areas to help the person stay independent in their own home, such as: 

  • Helping visiting doctors and nurses to administer pain relief medications or symptom relief treatments, if trained to do so 
  • Assisting with daily personal care tasks like bathing and dressing, to keep the person as independent as possible 
  • Providing emotional support and companionship to the person and their loved ones, and answering any difficult questions they have about the future 
  • Helping clients remain mentally stimulated and engaged by taking part in enjoyable activities or maintaining social connections 
  • Reporting symptoms or issues to the medical professionals in charge of care 
  • Advocating for the client’s needs, especially if they have a Care Plan in place or have expressed particular wishes 
  • Helping the person to move safely around their home with mobility assistance when the physical symptoms of dementia start to impact their abilities 
  • Communicating with the client’s family or caregivers to update them on how they are and what they need, especially if family members live far away 
  • Helping to improve the person’s overall quality of life by ensuring they have what they need to feel comfortable and stress-free in the home 
  • Providing respite care for family caregivers so they can take a break, go on holiday, or if they need time off for illness
  • Moving into the home if the person starts to require full-time care – you can learn more about becoming a live-in carer in our guide to what a live-in carer does

What core skills and qualities should a dementia carer have?

Any care role requires certain skills and personal qualities that make a person a good caregiver. These include (but are of course not limited to):

  • Being able to confidently speak to medical professionals about the person’s care needs. For example, they may have people involved in their care such as GPs, consultants, neurologists, psychiatrists, nurses, and other allied health professionals. 
  • Having compassion and empathy, especially in challenging care situations where your client may not be acting like themselves. 
  • A friendly demeanour and good sense of humour, which can help when dealing with difficult situations. While you need to understand the seriousness of the client’s condition too, often they will appreciate a carer’s ability to keep them in good spirits.  
  • Patience is essential for dementia carers, as the role can be testing at times when a client is not acting like themselves, and may be pushing back against receiving care, or acting frustrated at their situation.
  • Respect is important when caring for someone with dementia. Although it may seem like the person no longer understands what is going on around them, a carer looking after them in their own house should remember this is not always the case, and they should remain as respectful and kind as possible throughout the progression of their condition, allowing them to make as many decisions on their own as possible, and encouraging them to remain independent. 
  • Organisation is a key skill for any dementia carer, as there will always be a lot to juggle when dealing with multiple facets of a person’s care, such as their personal care, their medical appointments, their nutrition, and more. Skills such as keeping a detailed calendar so you don’t forget anything important, and noticing changes in their symptoms when they arise can be very helpful in this role. 
  • Communication skills are crucial for dementia carers, and this may not always mean verbal communication. Often those with dementia will lose their ability to communicate over time, and so you may be required to develop new, creative ways of helping them understand things, or deciphering what they need or want.
  • Reliability is of the utmost importance as a dementia carer, as the person will likely rely on you for a number of things. For example, they may not be able to make food and eat on their own, so your reliability will be required to ensure they are always getting adequate nutrition and regular meals.
  • An understanding of advocacy and the importance of speaking up for the client’s wishes so you can ensure their preferences are respected even at challenging times. 
  • An understanding of end-of-life care planning is important in this role, as the condition will eventually lead to the person passing away. Knowing what to do during the final months or weeks of their life can help them die in comfort and with dignity. 
  • An understanding of how to provide bereavement support could help you in your role as a dementia carer. Being able to effectively comfort the person’s loved ones and help advise them on what happens after a person dies can help them to manage this process during a difficult time. 

Specialist dementia care should always be person-centred, meaning care is bespoke to the person’s individual needs and wishes rather than being a one-size-fits-all approach. This could mean learning skills and offering things like validation therapy (a communication strategy emphasising empathy to comfort and reassure those with dementia who may have unresolved issues driving their behaviours and emotions), or reminiscence therapy (helping them to access materials that help them reminisce on the past, such as music they connect to or photographs of good memories) to give them the best experience during this time. 

You can read more about the skills required in our guide to the skills and qualities that a good carer needs.

If you plan to undergo a level 3 care qualification, you will be made aware of elements of care such as duty of care, safeguarding and protection, and health and safety requirements. 

At Home Instead, we can support you in understanding any legal and ethical responsibilities you may have as a dementia carer, which could include things like having an understanding of safeguarding and confidentiality to protect the health, wellbeing and mental health of your clients. We will also help you understand your role and boundaries as a carer when it comes to things like Power of Attorney documents or Care Plans, so you are protected.

What opportunities are there for career advancement?

There are many opportunities for career progression as a Care Professional with Home Instead, and particularly if you have additional skills as a specialist dementia carer. As a Care Professional, you could work in palliative care for those with dementia to help support medical staff, provide respite care so families can take time off from caring duties, or even become a live-in carer to support your client for more hours of the day and help them to feel more secure. 

There are many progression opportunities within our organisation, such as roles as a Client Experience Manager, Care Manager, Learning & Development Trainer, Operations Manager, and more. You can learn more about the options available to you in our guide to progression of careers in home care.

We want to ensure all of our Care Professionals get as much out of their job as they put into it, so we keep in close contact with each of them to make sure they are finding the role suitably challenging, enjoying the clients they work with, and feeling like they are progressing in their career if this is what they desire. We build close relationships with our carers to understand what brings them job satisfaction, which is why 96% of our Care Professionals say they are proud to work for us.

“I have worked with Home Instead for nearly 5 years and can honestly say it is the best place to work, every day is different, not only are the clients great but the business as a whole as you are treated as family. We have a great supportive team of carers and office staff and I look forward to work each day.”

– Arlene, Home Instead Senior Care Professional

How can I get started as a dementia carer with Home Instead?

At Home Instead, we always seek the best candidates for any positions we are filling, and when it comes to specialist dementia carers we always look for those with the personal attributes needed to suit this role.  

When you apply to become a Care Professional at Home Instead, we will look through your CV to see what skills, experience and knowledge you can bring to the role – don’t worry if you don’t have any yet, as we primarily look for a genuine passion to help people and the willingness to learn as you progress. 

If you are selected for an interview with a member of our team, you will have a chance to show us why you would make a good carer, and why you would like to work for Home Instead. You can learn more about the interview stage in our guides on what to expect from a domiciliary care interview and typical care interview questions.

There are multiple ways to train and become qualified as a carer, but at Home Instead we can offer you:

  • The best resources and support for all carers at all stages of their career
  • Workshops covering a range of topics, from general guidance on medication and manual handling, to safeguarding and basic life support
  • Training on more specific subjects such as Parkinson’s, diabetes, catheter care, dementia, and palliative care
  • A matching service to ensure you are paired with clients you will enjoy working with, so your skills are utilised in the right place
  • A mix of hands-on training and practical advice, so you get a combination of theory work, group discussions, role playing, practical competencies and more
  • Virtual sessions and online modules with interactive activities and discussion opportunities 
  • The chance to work with external providers on training such as in-depth fire safety, PPE, and even unusual sessions like virtual reality care experiences

Discover the exciting positions we have available here, and do not hesitate to reach out to us if you are interested in a specialist dementia care role and would like more information. Our friendly recruitment team is always here to discuss any available opportunities.

We’re an award-winning home care provider and part of a worldwide organisation devoted to providing the highest-quality relationship-led care for older people in their own homes. Learn more about joining our team today to see if it could be right for you.