Alan Beasley

Alan Beasley is the Dementia Educator, Canterbury DHB

Alan Beasley’s infectious enthusiasm for quality dementia care is making its mark on Canterbury’s aged residential care (ARC) nurses and support workers.

Alan is a dementia care educator promoting Canterbury District Health Board’s (CDHB’s) Walking in Another’s Shoes education programme. He encourages people working in dementia care to consider innovative ways of looking after their patients and supporting each other.

Walking in Another’s Shoes was pioneered by English professor of psychogerontology Tom Kitwood. It is founded on the principle of putting the person with dementia at the centre of care. ‘The focus is on putting the person before the disease: valuing each person as a unique individual with specific needs and abilities that should be supported and respected. We aim to work around the person with dementia rather than have them adapt their world around our routines,’ Alan says.

Walking in Another’s Shoes offers workshops and full-day classes for ARC staff. Alan also visits rest homes and hospitals to provide on-site staff training. Participants in the programme are educated on a wide range of dementia-related topics. The programme encourages staff to work together to find solutions to challenges.

‘For example, “calling out” is a common behaviour that people working in dementia care find difficult to deal with,’ Alan says. ‘Carers can develop appropriate intervention strategies by considering what emotions are behind the behaviour and what needs aren’t being met.’