Westgate Healthcare is proud to announce another significant milestone in its commitment to delivering exceptional dementia care. In fact, Westgate Healthcare becomes one of only three UK care providers delivering exclusive DIET – Dining Immersive Experiential Training in-house, demonstrating their dedication to innovation in the sector. Group Training Manager, Maria, has successfully qualified as a licensed facilitator to deliver the innovative DIET (DIET – Dining Immersive Experiential Training) programme in-house, making Westgate Healthcare one of only three organisations in the UK authorised to provide this specialist training to its own teams.
This latest achievement further reinforces Westgate Healthcare’s position as a leader in dementia education and staff development, ensuring colleagues receive some of the most advanced experiential dementia training available.
Understanding the Importance of Food and Drink for People Living with Dementia
Maintaining good nutrition and hydration is one of the greatest challenges faced by people living with dementia. Changes in perception, sensory processing, coordination and cognition can make everyday mealtimes confusing, frustrating and overwhelming.
The DIET programme, developed by Training2Care, is an immersive, evidence-based learning experience that allows participants to experience many of these challenges first-hand. Using specialist sensory equipment, delegates are guided through a simulated dining experience, helping them develop a deep understanding of the barriers residents may face when eating and drinking.
Rather than simply learning through theory, participants gain empathy through experience, allowing them to make meaningful changes that can significantly improve residents’ nutritional intake and overall wellbeing.
Research has demonstrated remarkable improvements following DIET training, with organisations reporting increased food consumption, improved mealtime support and enhanced quality of care for people living with dementia.
Raising the Standard of Dementia Training
Earlier this year, Maria also completed the acclaimed Virtual Dementia Experience programme, another immersive training initiative that helps participants understand how dementia affects vision, hearing, touch, communication and daily living.
Following the overwhelmingly positive impact of both programmes, Westgate Healthcare has now embedded both the Virtual Dementia Experience and DIET training into its three-day induction programme.
Every new colleague joining the organisation will now experience these immersive sessions from the very beginning of their career, ensuring empathy, understanding and person-led care become part of Westgate Healthcare’s culture from day one.
This investment reflects Westgate Healthcare’s belief that exceptional dementia care begins with truly understanding the lived experience of those they support.
Maria Leads the Way
Maria’s passion for learning and improving care continues to drive innovation across the organisation.
Commenting on her latest achievement, Maria said:
“Delivering outstanding dementia care starts with understanding the person behind the diagnosis. The DIET programme is incredibly powerful because it allows people to experience just how challenging something as simple as eating and drinking can become. By introducing this training alongside our Virtual Dementia Experience during induction, every colleague begins their journey with greater empathy, confidence and understanding. I’m incredibly proud that Westgate Healthcare is one of only three organisations able to deliver this training internally, allowing us to continually develop our teams and ultimately improve the lives of our residents.”
Partnership with Training2Care
The following statement is from the Training2Care management team, reflecting on its partnership with Westgate Healthcare and the impact of its dementia education programmes:
“The Virtual Dementia Tour, DIET and Dementia Interpreters courses enable people to understand dementia in a way that simply isn’t possible through traditional training methods. Rather than just increasing knowledge, these programmes develop empathy, challenge perceptions, and empower people to make meaningful changes that improve the lives of those affected by dementia.
Westgate Healthcare has demonstrated a genuine commitment to investing in its people and, ultimately, in the quality of care it provides. By embracing innovative learning experiences, it is helping to create a workforce that is better equipped to deliver compassionate, person-centred care, and I hope its approach inspires other care providers to do the same.
We are incredibly proud to partner with Westgate Healthcare and support its commitment to excellence. In particular, I would like to recognise Maria for the passion and dedication she has shown in delivering the Virtual Dementia Tour, and for the outstanding feedback she has received from participants. We look forward to seeing the continued impact of the DIET programme as even more colleagues develop the knowledge, confidence and understanding needed to make a real difference to the lives of people living with dementia.”
Investing in Better Dementia Care
As dementia care continues to evolve, Westgate Healthcare remains committed to investing in pioneering training that enables colleagues to see the world through the eyes of the people they care for every day.
By bringing these nationally recognised immersive programmes in-house, Westgate Healthcare can continually develop its workforce, ensuring every colleague has the skills, confidence and compassion to provide exceptional support for people living with dementia.
Experiences like this are invaluable. They remind us that behaviours often associated with dementia are not simply symptoms to manage, but responses to a world that has become confusing, overwhelming, and at times frightening.