“Understanding Dementia Together”

24 Nov 2025

This Interprofessional Learning (IPL) initiative is in its 7^th year and continues grow.

In October, 158 students from  11 disciplines from across the College of Medicine and Health came together in the Aula Maxima to learn from, with and about each other’s roles in dementia care.  To date approximately 700 students have completed this half-day workshop.  Disciplines attending the workshop include physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, audiology medicine, nursing, dentistry, , radiography, radiation therapy, pharmacy and paramedicine.

The aim of the dementia IPL workshop is to improve the knowledge and confidence of healthcare students to support people with dementia and their families. By exposing students to IPL early in their training it is hoped that students develop an insight into each other’s roles which will foster mutual respect and understanding and reduce professional silos. The inter-professional dementia workshop is also a powerful platform to develop critical thinking, professional growth and collaboration amongst our multidisciplinary students.

The dementia IPL steering group, led by Trish O’Sullivan, Niamh Moore, Dr Aoife Fleming and Professor Tony Foley have carefully designed professionally relevant, ethically challenging, clinical scenarios in dementia care and have facilitated small-group, case-based discussions.  Each multi-disciplinary student group comprising of 8-10 students work collaboratively as a healthcare team navigating complex scenarios.  Elements of collaborative practice include responsibility, accountability, coordination, communication, cooperation, assertiveness, autonomy, and mutual trust and respect.  By engaging students in hands-on, real-world scenarios, the IPL workshops have inspired and challenged them to work together and develop an appreciation of the contribution of each profession while thinking critically about dementia care. This highlights the importance of teamwork in addressing the complexities of dementia care.

Since 2022, Patient and Public Representative, Ann Twomey (Director, Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland) has played an active role in the design, delivery and evaluation of the workshop. Each year Ann gives students a powerful insight into the lived experience of caring for a person with Alzheimer’s Disease. Feedback from students consistently identify Ann’s contribution as one of the most impactful components of the workshop.

Students from 11 disciplines across the College of Medicine and Health attended the IPL Dementia Workshop.

 PPI representative Ann Twomey with Vice Head for Interprofessional Learning Dr Aoife Fleming