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A Word on Environmental Design
The Dementia Services Development Centre (DSDC) is involved with more research at the moment than ever before in its history. The DSDC is connected to two other Collaborative Research Centres and this has opened the door to participation in research on environmental design, assistive technologies, dietary supplements and a survey of research activities other aged care providers across Australia are doing.
The environmental design research began with a systematic review of the existing literature which showed that there is strong support for the design principles we use in our facilities at Hammond Care. But there is a question we need to answer: ‘Why, when there is so much research evidence supporting the design principles we use, are they are so rarely used by others in the design of homes for people with dementia?’ The next stage in the research will be to look at the obstacles to this. Results will be available early next year.
Dementia Care Essentials
Dementia Care Essentials is a Commonwealth Government initiative offering nationally recognised dementia care training to 9,000 aged care workers throughout NSW and the ACT.
As a Commonwealth funded initiative, the Dementia Care Essentials course is free of charge to eligible care workers in residential, respite and community care services.
Participants will gain an understanding of:
·Person-centred care
·Effective communication
·The nature of dementia and its impacts
·Understanding and reducing behaviours of concern
·Activities to promote well being
The course is nationally recognised. Successful completion results in a Statement of Attainment for the Unit of Competency “CHCAC15A - Provide care support which is responsive to the specific nature of dementia ”. Assessment involves demonstrating competence in the work place or through written evidence based on workplace experiences.
Dementia Care Essentials courses will be available until June 2009. However they are being rolled out area by area in NSW and the ACT so it is important to find out when the trainers will be in your area if you wish to take up this opportunity for free, high quality, nationally recognized training.Details are available from klee@dementia.com.au
Dementia Collaborative Research Centres
The Dementia Collaborative Research Centres are an Australian Government Initiative aimed at translating research into practice. Each centre focuses on a different area of dementia research:·Assessment and Better Care Outcomes based at UNSW
·Prevention, Risk Reduction and Early Detection based at ANU
·Consumers, Carers, and Social Research based at QUT
Hammond Care, through the DSDC, is represented on the management committees of the UNSW and the QUT based centres and is an active contributor to the research programmes of these centres. Areas under investigation include:-
1.The effectiveness of environmental design as a way of improving the quality of life of people with dementia
2.The role of assistive technology in improving the quality of life of people with dementia
3.The nature and quality of research being carried out in Australian aged care services
4.The usefulness of thickened fluids and dietary supplements in improving the nutrition of people with dementia
More information on the DCRCs can be obtained from www.dementia.unsw.edu.au
Eastern Australia Dementia Training and Study Centre
The Eastern Australia Dementia Training and Study Centre (EADTSC) is an Australian Government Initiative aimed at increasing the awareness and understanding of dementia care among health care professionals through the delivery of tertiary based education and training activities. These include- The development of undergraduate curricula
- Support of post graduate studies
And the provision of
- Scholarships
- Work based placements
- Guest lectures by eminent experts
- Clinical workshops
Details of the Clinical Workshop programme and additional information on the EADTSC is available at http://dementia.uow.edu.au/
