Dementia Care & Understanding: A Family Pathway – Phase 3
Phase 3 focuses on seeking a dementia diagnosis and understanding the legal and ethical rights that shape decision-making, consent, and information-sharing. This phase supports families to navigate what can be one of the most complex and emotionally charged stages of the dementia journey with clarity and confidence.
The phase provides structured education on the diagnosis pathway, including GP preparation, memory clinic referrals, assessments, and the reasons diagnosis often takes time. Families learn how to prepare effectively for appointments, what information to bring, what questions to ask, and how to advocate appropriately when concerns are dismissed or delayed.
A central component of Phase 3 is understanding consent, mental capacity, and legal authority. Learners are taught what families can and cannot do without consent, why ‘next of kin’ has no automatic legal rights, and how capacity is decision-specific and time-specific. The phase explains the practical implications of consent, proxy access, and the limits of family involvement without formal authority.
Phase 3 also introduces early legal and planning considerations, including Lasting Power of Attorney, Advance Statements, Advance Decisions to Refuse Treatment (ADRT), and DNACPR decisions. The emphasis is on understanding timing, consequences, and why acting while capacity exists protects both the person and their family.
This phase equips families with the knowledge needed to move through diagnosis, rights, and planning without confusion, delay, or unnecessary conflict, forming a critical bridge between early recognition, safe care foundations, and practical next steps.
What this course provides
- Clear understanding of the dementia diagnosis pathway
- Preparation for GP and memory clinic appointments
- Education on consent, confidentiality, and mental capacity
- Explanation of why ‘next of kin’ has no automatic legal authority
- Understanding of proxy access, Lasting Power of Attorney, and Court of Protection
- Insight into Advance Statements, ADRT, and DNACPR decisions
- Practical clarity on rights, responsibilities, and legal boundaries
What this course is not
This programme is not therapy, counselling, or coaching.
It does not provide medical, legal, or financial advice. Where legal or clinical topics are discussed, they are presented for educational understanding only, and families are encouraged to seek appropriate professional advice relevant to their circumstances.
Completion of Phase 3 alone does not confer certification. A Launex Certificate of Completion is issued only upon successful completion of all required pathway assessments across the full Family Pathway.
Who this course is for
- Families preparing to seek or already navigating a dementia diagnosis
- Those needing clarity on consent, capacity, and legal rights
- Families experiencing barriers, delays, or confusion within the diagnostic process
