Supporting participants with Huntington’s Disease

Course Overview

This course provides a comprehensive and compassionate framework for support workers assisting participants living with Huntington’s Disease (HD). It focuses on the customization of care strategies to address the complex combination of physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms that characterize this progressive condition.

Aligned with NDIS high-intensity support standards, this training equips staff with the skills to manage involuntary movements (chorea), cognitive decline, and psychiatric symptoms, ensuring care remains person-centered and dignified throughout every stage of the disease.

What You’ll Learn

• Define the genetic basis of Huntington’s Disease and its impact on the central nervous system.

• Identify the “triad” of symptoms: motor (movement), cognitive (thinking), and psychiatric (mood).

• Implement practical strategies to manage chorea and maintain participant safety and mobility.

• Navigate cognitive changes, such as difficulties with planning, focus, and impulse control.

• Deliver empathetic support for psychiatric symptoms, including depression, anxiety, and irritability.

• Execute safe mealtime and hydration strategies to manage swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) common in HD.

• Master effective communication techniques to support participants as speech and processing speeds change.

• Maintain rigorous documentation of symptom progression and medication efficacy for NDIS and clinical review.

Designed For

• Disability support workers and high-intensity care practitioners.

• NDIS providers managing participants with progressive neurological conditions.

• Team leaders and coordinators overseeing complex, multi-disciplinary care plans.

• Residential care staff and community health assistants.

• Family members and primary carers seeking to deepen their technical and emotional support skills.