What Good Dementia Care Actually Looks Like (And Why It Matters in 2026)

The number of people living with dementia in the UK is growing. As that number rises, so does the pressure on care homes, hospitals, and primary care services to deliver consistent, high-quality support. A recent report commissioned by a leading health and social care regulator, produced by IFF Research in partnership with Leeds Beckett University, sets out what good dementia care looks like in practice and how services can get there.

This post breaks down the key findings and what they mean for care workers, managers, and providers.

Person-led care: starting with the individual

Good dementia care does not begin with a checklist. It begins with the person. The research is clear: care plans should be built with people living with dementia and their families, not handed to them.

That means more than consultation. It means creating genuine opportunities for people to exercise choice and control in their day-to-day lives. Structured activities that connect to a person's history and interests, especially those involving hand-eye coordination and familiar daily tasks, have been shown to support wellbeing and reduce symptoms.

Community matters too. Peer support approaches, where people with shared experiences come together, help reduce isolation and challenge the stigma that still surrounds dementia. For people in smaller, homelike care settings especially, this sense of belonging is closely tied to a stronger sense of self.

Staff communication is another area the research highlights as critical. Training carers to use body language and non-verbal cues effectively can make a significant difference, and staff themselves want that guidance.

Equality and cultural competence in dementia care

People living with dementia are not a uniform group. They come from different backgrounds, speak different languages, hold different beliefs, and have different relationships to their own identity.

The research found that care quality improved when providers understood the cultural context of the people they supported. Something as everyday as food can shape the entire experience of care. Where possible, being supported by someone who speaks your first language, or who shares your cultural background, helps maintain trust and a sense of belonging.

The report also highlights the value of local community support groups, particularly for people with protected characteristics who may feel more comfortable in spaces where others share their experience.

Digital tools, including video calls, can help bridge access gaps for people in rural areas, provided staff are trained and confident in using them.

Staffing and training: building a knowledgeable workforce

There is currently no legal requirement in England for all health and care staff to complete dementia-specific training. That said, providers are required to ensure their staff are suitably skilled and qualified to meet the needs of the people they support.

The research found that dementia training worked best when it was scheduled around staff capacity, avoiding the busiest times, and when a train-the-trainer model was used. This approach, where some staff receive more in-depth training and then share that knowledge with colleagues, helps embed learning into everyday practice rather than treating it as a one-off box to tick.

Leadership and culture: the conditions that make good care possible

Person-led care does not happen in isolation. It needs the right environment to take hold.

The research points to effective leadership as the foundation. Good leaders move teams away from task-based routines and empower staff to use their initiative. They invest in quality assurance through audits, performance reviews, and feedback mechanisms that include people with dementia, their families, and frontline staff.

Equally important is collaboration across services. When health, social care, community, and voluntary sector organisations work together, and when people with dementia and their carers are genuinely included in shaping those services, the result is care that is more tailored, more responsive, and more human.

What this means for your practice

Whether you work directly with people living with dementia or manage a team that does, these findings offer a useful benchmark. Good dementia care is not just about clinical competence. It is about relationships, communication, culture, and leadership.

CareLearner offers a range of CPD-accredited courses in health and social care, including content on person-centred approaches, communication skills, and equality and inclusion. If you or your organisation are looking to strengthen your knowledge and practice, explore our course library today.