A post-graduate accredited training course

Developed and Facilitated by:

   o Head, Faculty of Dementia, National Register of Hypnotherapists and Psychotherapists. 

   o Member of the National Register of Hypnotherapists & Psychotherapists (MNRHP)

In partnership with the National College of Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy.

Over the past 4 years, Dr Daniel Nightingale and Dr Simon Duff have collaborated on a project looking at the effectiveness of hypnosis for people with a diagnosis of dementia who live in long term residential and nursing homes.

As a result, two papers have now been published in the European Journal of Clinical Hypnosis: Duff S C and Nightingale D J (2005), The efficacy of hypnosis in changing the quality of life in patients with dementia: A Pilot study evaluation,6 (2), 20-29 and Duff S C and NightingaleD J (2006), Long-term outcomes of hypnosis in changing the quality of life in patients with dementia. The authors have a third paper relating to quality of life  that has been published (Duff and Nightingale, Alzheimer's Care Today, 2007. 8 (4), 321 - 331).

There are now 7 clinical Psychotherapists, based in the UK, who have studied this course,  It is organized by the National College of Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy. It is run over 2 consecutive weekends . There will be 16 places available on each course with the criteria of acceptance being qualified as an RMN and working in the field of dementia or qualified as a Hypno-Psychotherapist or Psychotherapist. Qualification entitles the person to join the Faculty of Dementia, led by Dr Daniel Nightingale, at the National College.

This course has been accredited by the National College of Hypnosis and Psychotherapy.

It is facilitated over two full weekends and is aimed at graduates in hypno-psychotherapy wishing to further develop their existing clinical skills, knowledge and competence in older care or those wishing to develop a new clinical interest. The course will be available to graduates of other established colleges following rigorous vetting of their credentials, in particular.

The course has been designed, and is taught by, Dr Daniel Nightingale, Senior Dementia Consultant and Consultant Hypno-Psychotherapist in Dementia.

The course itself is facilitated over two full weekends, from 10am to 5.30pm each day.

The first weekend will focus solely on dementia and present person centred care approaches. This will be video based with discussions and group activities and feedback sessions taking place. Areas covered will include types of dementia and risk factors, environmental factors, appropriate memory aid strategies and activities.

The second weekend will focus on evidence from the published work in this field by Duff and Nightingale, the assessment process, ethical issues and use of hypnotherapy and psychotherapy in clinical practice.

Whilst no final written exam will be taken at the end of the course (YTT exam essential to progress to weekend 2), continual assessment and observation during group work will be initiated throughout.

Successful completion of this course will carry the entitlement to membership of the NRHP Dementia Care

Faculty.

Students will also have the opportunity to do a short placement in a residential or nursing home setting.

The provision of complimentary or alternative therapy for people with dementia is in its infancy.

Dr Nightingale's role as Senior Dementia Consultant for the UK’s biggest nursing and residential home care provider, involved continual development of care provision.

The published work is evidence that hypnotherapy can have therapeutic benefit for some people living with dementia (The Efficacy of Hypnosis in changing the quality of life in patients with dementia: A pilot study evaluation, Duff, S C & Nightingale, D J, 2005). During this study, the authors demonstrated improvements in 7 key areas with weekly one hour sessions of hypnotherapy. These areas were: concentration, relaxation, motivation, Activities of Daily Living, immediate memory, memory for significant events and socialisation skills.

The European community has expressed great interest in this work and the opportunity to equip professional therapists with the clinical knowledge, skills and competence to practice in this area is something we must take with positive enthusiasm.

This course will not only equip professionals with the skills required to offer such therapy, but will also further extend the choice of therapy and treatment available to people with dementia.

TRAINING OUTCOMES

There are 3 main outcomes for this course:

1. To equip qualified therapists with the most up-to-date knowledge of present day philosophies of care for people with dementia.

Students on the course will be continually assessed and observed during group work and practicals.

Each student will be expected to demonstrate clinical competency in:

v Communication and Consultation and assessment, including confidentiality and consensual issues

In addition, each student will be expected to demonstrate a working and clinical knowledge of:

 v    The various types of dementia and the risk factors implicated in this disease

 v    Present day philosophies of care based on person centred care approaches

 v    Conventional treatments available, including both pharmacological and non-pharmacological

TRAINING PLAN

(Weekend 1)

   v  General introductions

   v  Course aims and objectives

   v  DVD – Yesterday Today Tomorrow

   v  Group work and feedback sessions relating to YTT and the YTT multiple choice exam paper

v     Re-cap of weekend 1 and any issues relating to this

v     Discussion based around current and ongoing research in the field of hypnosis and dementia

v     Appropriate assessment procedures

v     Consensual and ethical issues

v     Suitability based on holistic assessment via the Global Deterioration Scale

v     Assessing for evidence of depression

v     Hypnotherapy, CBT, NLP and Person Centred (Rogerian) counselling – the choice; the combined approach

v     Design of treatment plans and observed practicals

v     Evaluations and feedback

The resources used during this course will be:

      v   Documentation developed by the tutor and used in clinical practice

The style of teaching will be a combination of tutor presentation, continuous support and student participation.

Practicals will be observed and continually assessed by the tutor.

The course will be evaluated via the NCHP’s course evaluation documentation.

ON-GOING SUPPORT

Following attendance at this course, members will have access to ongoing support via the college with up-dated information appearing on a regular basis in the college’s Newsletter.

In addition, up-dated information and details will be sent to members of the register via e-mail and/or hard copy.

As the tutor is also a member of both the National Register of Hypnotherapist and Psychotherapists he is always accessible to clinicians for ongoing help, support and advice.

© Dr Daniel Nightingale. 2008