DEM 207: Understand equality, diversity and inclusion in dementia care

DEM 207 focuses on equality, diversity and inclusion in dementia care. It helps you understand why people living with dementia must be treated as individuals first, and how inclusive, person-centred practice protects dignity, rights and wellbeing. Dementia does not remove a person’s identity, culture, relationships, beliefs, sexuality, life history or preferences—so good care cannot be “one size fits all”.

A key starting point in this unit is recognising that individuals with dementia have unique needs and preferences. Two people can have the same diagnosis and still experience dementia very differently. This might be because of the type of dementia, stage of progression, physical health, personality, coping style, family support, cultural background, language, disability, or past experiences such as trauma. When care is based on assumptions rather than the person, people can feel unheard, disrespected and unsafe.

DEM 207 also helps you think about how to support carers and others to understand the person’s uniqueness. This can include sharing agreed information from care plans and life history work, encouraging person-centred language, and reminding others that the person’s choices still matter. In practice, this might mean explaining why a person becomes distressed if rushed, why a routine is important to them, or why certain foods, clothing or personal care preferences must be respected. You follow confidentiality rules and share information appropriately, but you also help the wider team to “see the person” not just the symptoms.

The unit explores how values, beliefs and misunderstandings about dementia can affect attitudes towards individuals. Stigma can lead to people being excluded from conversations, spoken to like a child, ignored, or treated as though they cannot contribute. Some misunderstandings lead people to assume dementia is simply “normal ageing”, or that there is no point offering choices because the person “won’t remember”. These attitudes can reduce independence and self-esteem. DEM 207 supports you to challenge this by using respectful communication, offering choices in accessible ways, and showing through your practice that the person’s voice still matters.

Inclusion is more than being physically present in a room. People with dementia may feel valued and included when they are greeted warmly, spoken to directly, offered meaningful choices, and supported to take part in everyday life at their own pace. Inclusion might look like adapting an activity so the person can succeed, offering a quieter space if noise is overwhelming, using familiar topics to encourage conversation, or inviting the person to help with simple tasks that preserve a sense of purpose (folding towels, setting the table, watering plants).

The unit also asks you to consider how people with dementia may feel excluded. Exclusion can happen when staff talk over the person, ignore their attempts to communicate, rush personal care, leave them out of decisions, or provide activities that don’t match their interests or abilities. It can also happen through environmental barriers, such as poor lighting, confusing signage, background noise, or information only being provided in ways the person cannot access. Exclusion is not always intentional—but the impact can still be loneliness, frustration, anxiety and loss of confidence.

DEM 207 emphasises the importance of including the individual in all aspects of their care. This supports dignity, autonomy and wellbeing, and can also reduce distress because the person feels more secure and respected. Inclusion might mean offering two clear choices rather than open questions, showing items visually (clothes, food options), explaining what will happen next, and allowing extra time for a response. Even when capacity is reduced for certain decisions, the person should still be involved as far as possible, and best practice should follow agreed policies and legal frameworks.

The unit also explores diverse needs within dementia care, including differences between younger and older people with dementia. A younger person may be dealing with work, finances, parenting, or different social expectations. They may experience stronger feelings of loss or stigma because dementia is less expected at a younger age. An older person may have other long-term conditions or multiple losses. Good care responds to the person’s stage of life, priorities and support network—not just their age.

Working with people from different ethnic origins and cultural backgrounds is also covered. Dementia may affect language and communication, and some people may revert to a first language learned in childhood. Steps to gain understanding include asking respectful questions, involving family or advocates appropriately (with consent), using interpreters where needed, and learning about culturally important routines, food, faith practices, and communication styles. The aim is not to stereotype, but to provide culturally sensitive care based on the individual’s preferences.

DEM 207 also considers person-centred working with individuals who have both a learning disability and dementia. This requires understanding the person’s baseline abilities, how they usually communicate, and how dementia-related changes may show up differently. It also involves adapting communication, using familiar routines, working closely with people who know the person well, and being alert to “diagnostic overshadowing” (assuming every change is due to the learning disability or dementia rather than checking for pain, illness, stress or environmental triggers).

Here’s a practice example: a person with dementia becomes quieter and stops joining meals. Rather than assuming they are “just declining”, you explore inclusion barriers: is the dining room too noisy, is the seating confusing, are they embarrassed about difficulties, do they need glasses or hearing aids, are food options culturally appropriate, are they feeling low? You record and report concerns, and you adapt support so the person can re-engage safely and with dignity.

By the end of DEM 207, you should be able to explain why individuality matters in dementia care, describe how inclusion can be supported (and how exclusion can happen), and outline person-centred ways of meeting diverse needs. This unit strengthens your ability to provide fair, respectful care that protects identity and promotes wellbeing for people living with dementia.

Units and Answers

1. Understand and appreciate the importance of diversity of individuals with dementia

2. Understand the importance of person-centred approaches in the care and support of individuals with dementia

3. Understand ways of working with a range of individuals who have dementia to ensure diverse needs are met

End of content

End of content