Dementia: Understanding the Journey
April 21, 2026
Delivered online
Course
Tried, tested, and continuously improved over 25-years, this 9-week certificate program is the benchmark course for professionals, covering all aspects of care and promoting personal leadership among home and long term care providers.
No two people experience dementia in the same way, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to supporting persons living with dementia. Dementia: Understanding the Journey was created to develop and enhance the competencies of current and future health care providers.
Dementia: Understanding the Journey offers its learners:
- a holistic, person-centered philosophy for understanding dementia
- strategies to maintain a balance between offering support and encouraging independence
- strategies to maintain a person’s identity, dignity, and self-esteem
- strategies to provide quality care using an interdisciplinary team approach
- tools to assist in understanding and responding to behaviours
There is no better course out there for any organization serious about investing in training their staff to deliver genuine person-centred dementia care.
Benefits
✔ Builds confidence for staff at every level — no prior experience required.
✔ Provides standardized, evidence‑informed dementia education recognized across Canada.
✔ Strengthens person‑centred care by focusing on dignity, identity, and independence,
✔ Improves organizational outcomes: smoother workflows, reduced stress, and stronger communication.
✔ Creates a culture of compassion where persons living with dementia can truly flourish.
Dementia: Understanding the Journey teaches you the competencies every care provider needs: how to understand behaviour, communicate effectively, create person-centred environments, and lead with confidence.
By the end, you won't just know about dementia. You'll know how to support people living with it.
Ready to build these skills? Enroll now.
Laurie Hopkins
Registered Nurse
Meet Dementia: Understanding the Journey instructor, Laurie Hopkins!
In her 29th year of Nursing, Laurie is an experienced RN with a varied background and skill set. Her focus over the last 16 years has been Education, primarily in the area of entry-level healthcare (CCA, PSW). She has taught in the classroom, lab and clinical settings, participated in curriculum Development, contributed to textbook revisions and assets, and participated in assessment and navigational support for Recognized Prior Learning.
She also has experience as an Educational Coordinator in Long-Term Care. Laurie has a special interest in Dementia care and has been facilitating Dementia Understanding the Journey (through its various revisions) for 15 years. Laurie has a love for Nursing, teaching, and people.