Standard Non-Medical Companion & Dementia Support Training

Program Overview This comprehensive training program provides foundational knowledge and practical skills for those providing non-medical support to seniors and adults experiencing cognitive changes. Participants will master evidence-based strategies to improve quality of life and safety in a non-clinical scope.

 Standard Non-Medical Companion & Dementia Support Training Disclaimer

This course is intended for educational purposes only and prepares learners for non-medical companion support roles in home and community care settings in Ontario. It does not constitute regulated healthcare training and does not certify learners to perform medical, clinical, or personal support work.

Learners completing this course are not authorized to diagnose, treat, assess, or manage medical conditions, including cognitive disorders. All care provided within this role must remain non-clinical, and must be performed under employer direction, established care plans, and applicable organizational policies.

Course Summary:

This course aligns with general home and community care expectations under frameworks associated with the Ontario Ministry of Health, specifically in relation to safety, observation, communication, and non-medical support roles.

This course provides foundational training for individuals working as non-medical companions in home and community care environments. It is designed to prepare learners to provide safe, respectful, and supportive assistance to clients while remaining strictly within a non-clinical scope of practice.

The program is divided into two modules: Module 1: Non-Medical Companion Care and Module 2: Dementia Awareness and Communication. Together, these modules develop essential skills in communication, professionalism, safety awareness, and emotional support.

A core principle of this course is that all services provided by a non-medical companion are supportive and non-medical in nature. Learners are trained to understand that they are not healthcare providers and must never perform medical tasks, personal care procedures, or clinical assessments. Instead, their role focuses on companionship, observation, emotional support, supervision, and reporting changes in client condition to appropriate supervisors.

Module 1: Non-Medical Companion Care

Module 1 introduces learners to the role, responsibilities, and boundaries of a non-medical companion. The companion role is defined as providing non-medical support, including social interaction, emotional support, supervision, and assistance with basic daily routines that do not involve personal care or clinical tasks.

Learners are taught to clearly distinguish between a non-medical companion and a Personal Support Worker (PSW). PSWs provide regulated personal care such as hygiene, mobility assistance, and physical support with activities of daily living. In contrast, companions do not perform personal care or any controlled health-related tasks and must remain within a strictly non-clinical scope.

Key responsibilities include providing companionship, engaging in meaningful conversation, supporting social participation, assisting with reminders or light routine support when directed, and escorting clients to non-medical appointments or activities as assigned. Learners are also trained to observe and report changes in mood, behaviour, or safety concerns without interpretation or diagnosis.

Communication skills such as active listening, empathy, validation, and open-ended questioning are introduced as essential tools for building trust and reducing isolation. All communication practices are framed as supportive and non-clinical.

Module 2: Dementia Awareness and Communication

Module 2 provides foundational awareness of dementia and its impact on individuals receiving non-medical support. Dementia is defined as a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking, communication, and daily functioning, including conditions such as Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Learners are taught to distinguish between normal age-related changes and dementia-related cognitive decline. While normal aging may involve occasional forgetfulness, dementia involves progressive impairment that affects independence and daily functioning.

The module explores how dementia can impact behaviour, mood, communication, and emotional regulation. Learners are trained to respond with patience, reassurance, and supportive communication rather than correction or confrontation.

Communication strategies include simplified language, one-step questions, open-ended prompts, validation, redirection, reminiscence-based conversation, and non-verbal communication techniques. These approaches are strictly non-clinical and are used only to support comfort, engagement, and dignity.

Learners are also introduced to safe response strategies for common dementia-related behaviours such as confusion or agitation. These include maintaining calm presence, ensuring environmental safety, using reassurance, and escalating concerns appropriately to supervisors when required.

Overall Course Outcome

Upon successful completion of this course, learners will be able to provide safe, ethical, and non-medical companion support within home and community care settings. They will understand their professional boundaries, communicate effectively with clients, support individuals living with dementia using non-clinical techniques, and apply appropriate observation and reporting practices.

This training prepares learners for non-regulated companion roles in accordance with general expectations in Ontario and ensures that all care provided remains strictly non-medical, non-clinical, and support-based only.

Course Modules

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