Caregiving and dementia/E-learning/Lectures

This page lists recorded lectures about caregiving and dementia which have been made available through the Dementia Training Study Centres (Australia).

DTSC national E-learning lectures

Australian DTSC national lecture recordings about dementia and dementia care are available online via the E-learning lectures page.

The lecture titles and additional details are also listed below.

2013

The Eden Principles; Do They Make a Difference?

A presentation by Sandra Downes on 22 May 2013.

Hawthorn House is a respite centre in Albany, Western Australia, run by Alzheimer’s Australia WA that provides respite for people with dementia and their carers. The Eden Principles are used in all activities and relationships at Hawthorn House. These principles are a framework for person-centred care, and seek to address the three plagues of loneliness, helplessness, and boredom. The research project was established to investigate the quality of life (QOL) of the people with dementia associated with the centre, their carers, staff and volunteers, and also to assess the effect of the Eden Principles on these people. Qualitative and quantitative methods were employed. This seminar gives an overview of the key findings from this project.

Click here to view the presentation

Proactive primary care of carers of people with dementia: Lessons learnt from a feasibility study

A presentation by A/Professor Barbara Horner on 4 June 2013.

Many people with dementia or cognitive impairment are cared for at home by family carers who may themselves be frail older adults or who may suffer from chronic conditions. There is evidence that caring has adverse impacts on carers; however, many do not seek, or delay seeking, appropriate health care. How can we assist carers to ‘care for themselves?’ Who can we empower cares to recognise their own adverse health outcomes and to seek advice and talk timely action? In a feasibility study conducted in WA, we explored a protocol to identify unmet healthcare needs of carers of people with cognitive impairment. Our results demonstrated that our approach was feasible, carers found the protocol useful and reported specific outcomes. This presentation will outline their experience as well as the challenges of implementation and engagement with GPs.

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Delirium and Delirium Superimposed on Dementia

Guest lecture presented by Dr Judy McCrow and Dr Eamonn Eeles at QUT Kelvin Grove on 7 May 2013.

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Medication Review Process

A presentation by Dr Andrew Stafford on 10 April 2013.

There has been a rapid rise in the number of older people with multiple medical conditions who take many medications every day. Due to the inherent risks associated with medication use, there has been a corresponding increase in the prevalence of medication-related problems in people living at home or in care facilities. These problems may result in medication-related illness, emergency department visits and hospital admissions.

This presentation will provide an overview of the different types of medication reviews conducted by pharmacists that address these medication-related problems. There will be a focus on the common medication-related problems identified in people with dementia, and how medication reviews may improve these people’s health outcomes and quality of life.

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The Detection of Pre-symptomatic Alzheimer’s Disease: Why and How

Guest lecture presented by Professor David Ames at QUT Kelvin Grove on 11 April, 2013

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Living with Dementia in Times of Trouble: Disaster Preparedness for People and Services

Guest Lecture presented by Dr. David Lie at QUT Kelvin Grove on 19 March 2013.

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Update on prevention of dementia

A presentation by Professor Leon Flicker on 12 March 2013.

Cognitive decline and dementia are some of the major challenges facing ageing Australia. It is currently unknown whether there has been a change in the incidence of cognitive decline and dementia over time. Some lifestyle factors have been found to be associated with late life cognitive decline and dementia but although the evidence is promising, it is largely based on observing people rather than trials of these interventions. There is now reasonable evidence that increased physical activity and cessation of smoking may have cognitive benefits. There is less evidence for other factors such as education, social engagement, cognitive stimulation, hormonal treatment and diet.

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Sexualities and Dementia

Guest lecture presented by Dr. Cindy Jones at QUT Kelvin Grove on 26 February 2013.

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Environmental Design

A presentation by Professor Richard Fleming on 20 February 2013.

Professor Fleming looks at the audit tools to identify strengths and weaknesses of facilities for people with dementia and a set of 10 evidence based principles that can guide the design of new facilities and the remodelling of existing facilities for people with dementia.

Click here to view the presentation

2012

Yarning: The art of communicating with Aboriginal People

Tuesday 31 July Associate Professor Dawn Bessarab Aboriginal Health Education and Research Unit, Curtin University Conversation is an important means of communication to share information, ideas and emotions. Different cultures have different rules,

New Initiatives in Community Dementia Care

Tuesday 21 August 2012 Karen Malone –McCusker Nurse, ‘The McCusker Nurse Service’ Sarah White– Senior Project Officer –

Best Practice and Innovation in Dementia Care. A breakfast forum with Ita Buttrose AO, OBE

Renowned communicator and Alzheimer’s Australia National President, Ita Buttrose AO, OBE will outline the role of public policy in influencing quality dementia care and the need for greater research and innovation into care.

Understanding Younger Onset Dementia

14 June 2012 Dr Adrienne Withall

The Care and Treatment of People with Dementia

Monday 28 May 2012 Professor Sube Banerjee, MBBS MD MSc FRCPsych Presented by Alzheimer’s Australia WA in partnership with the WA Dementia Training Study Centre and the Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute. This public lecture recorded

Best Practice Pharmacy

Wednesday 23 May 2012 Dr Kreshnik Hoti, Curtin University School of Pharmacy This lecture describes treatments available in dementia with a focus on medications that can worsen cognition. Dr Hoti also discusses the importance of monitoring medication

When do you stop living with dementia and start dying from it?

10 May 2012 Video Conference Workshop originally broadcast through the WA Country Health Service (WACHS) Shannon Tassell, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Nurse Practitioner, The Pursuits Group This Workshop originally broadcast through the WA Country Health Service (WACHS)

A Gardner’s Guide to Culture Change in Dementia Care

Thursday 26 April 2012 Jason Burton Manager, Research and Consultancy Services, Alzheimer’s Australia WA. A person centred approach to support people living with dementia requires an appropriate social and cultural environment as well as an appropriate

Dual Diagnosis and Complex Clinical Presentations for People With Dementia

19 April 2012 Professor Brian Draper University of New South Wales (1 hour 25 minutes 41 seconds)

Medications and dementia

Wednesday 21 March, 2012 Dr Nick Bretland, Rowethorpe Medical Centre. Older people are often prescribed multiple drugs to support their complex health needs. While medication can improve a person’s quality of life there may also be

2011

Assessment of Dementia is more than Diagnosis

22 November 2011 Professor Henry Brodaty University of New South Wales 1 hour 28 minutes 45 seconds

Naming the Elephants in the Room – Reflections on working in a multicultural dementia environment

Wednesday 16th November, 2011 Mihaela Safta, Former Project Officer Multicultural Communities, Alzheimer’s Australia WA Cultural competence is an emerging field, with efforts to define and implement the principles of cultural competence still ongoing. While cultural competence

Changing Worlds – Moving to a relationship based philosophy of care

Tuesday 25th October, 2011 Jason Burton, Manager, Research and Consultancy Services, Alzheimer’s Australia WA ‘Changing Worlds – Moving to a relationship based philosophy of care’ This seminar addresses the importance of the social environment to implementing

The Communities of Practice in Dementia project

Wednesday 21st September, 2011 Associate Professor Chris Toye, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Curtin University From June 2010, until mid 2011, health professionals with a passion for enhancing best practice and care continuity for very frail

Creating Enabling Environments

Tuesday 30th August, 2011 Jason Burton, manager, Research and Consultancy Services, Alzheimer’s Association WA There is a growing evidence base of the effect the built environment has on people living with dementia. This seminar discusses current

Dementia in Acute Care Settings: Assessing the Quality of Care of Older Persons

18 August 2011 Professor Len Grey University of Queensland 1 hour 13 minutes 40 seconds

Assistive Technology for people with dementia

Tuesday 5th July, 2011 Caroline Rey OT, Assistive Equipment Service, Independent Living Centre And Claire Morrisby, OT, Assistive Technology, Alzheimer’s Australia WA As the population of people with dementia increases and with advances in technology it

Dementia and Public Health

21 June 2011 Dr Davie Lie Princess Alexandra Hospital Brisbane 1 hour 26 minutes 48 seconds

How to create an appropriate program for a younger person living with dementia

Wednesday 15th June 2011 Tara Stringfellow, Early Intervention Coordinator; Marlene Grogan, Mary Chester Centre Coordinator and Hannah Tebbit, Younger Onset Dementia project Coordinator, Alzheimer’s Australia WA Current services are not always appropriate for this people with

Experiences and management of dementia-related stigma in an Australian population: implications for practice

Wednesday 25th May, 2011 Professor Barbara Horner Director, Centre for Research on Ageing Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute Professor Horner presents the findings of a research project which examined how people with dementia and their carers

End of life planning for people with dementia

Public forum Tuesday, 19th April, 2011 Professor Colleen Cartwright Foundation Professor of Aged Services Director, Aged Services Unit, Southern Cross University This seminar is based on Professor Cartwright’s recent paper, ‘Planning for the end of life

Dementia in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities:Assessment and Beyond

16 March 2011 Dr Edward Strivens Cairns Base Hospital 1 hour 8 minutes 49 seconds

What is going on? Psychological assessment and intervention with people aged 55+ years with possible cognitive changes and/or emotional issues

Tuesday 15th March, 2011 Geoff Jones, Registered Clinical Psychologist Moss Street Centre East Fremantle Medical Centre & Mandurah This presentation discusses the role of Clinical Psychologists in assessment of people concerned that they are experiencing memory

Dementia Prevention and Risk Reduction

23 February 2011 Dr David Lie Princess Alexandra Hospital Brisbane 1 hour 30 minutes 54 seconds

Dementia and dementia care through an ethical lens

Wednesday 23 February 2011 Associate Professor Stephan Millet Chair, Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee, Foundation Director Curtin Centre for Applied Ethics and Philosophy Dementia presents ethical challenges and also challenges the principles that underpin Western

2010

Decisional Capacity

9 November 2010 Prof Elizabeth Beattie Queensland University of Technology 1 hour 29 minutes

Taking it to the Streets: A Systems Approach to Implementing Interventions in Long-term Care

28 September 2010 Dr Lou Burgio, University of Michigan 1 hour 14 minutes 29 seconds

Dementia and Risk: Contested Territories of Everyday Life

19 August 2010 Prof Charlotte Clarke 57 minutes 18 seconds

1. Measuring quality of life for people with dementia

Professor Barbara Horner 2010 Barbara discussed issues surrounding measuring quality of life for people with dementia by addressing the following questions:

What is ‘Quality of Life’? From whose perspective should quality of life be measured?…

2. Oral Health

Clive Rogers – The Visiting Dentist 2010

Objectives/Presentation outline: Briefly discuss the nature of and current knowledge about two common oral diseases; tooth decay and gum disease. Introduction to the daily management care of tooth …

3. Younger Onset Dementia

Tara Stringfellow – Early Intervention Coordinator, Alzheimer’s Australia WA 2010

Having a diagnosis of Younger Onset Dementia provides unique challenges. A younger person may be more physically and socially active in the community and yet …

4. Delirium: What is it, why is it important and what do we do about it?

Malcolm Hare NM, Informatics Support, Nursing Research, Evaluation and Informatics, Fremantle Hospital, 2010

Delirium is a temporary disorder of cognition that affects all patient populations and can have devastating after-effects. It occurs in all health …

5. Secrets of Sleep

Debbie Duignan, Senior Behaviour Consultant and Louise Jones, Behaviour Consultant Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service (DBMAS) 2010

A practical presentation based on the work of behaviour consultants within DBMAS. An outline of the difficulties with …

6. Perspectives of quality of life among people with dementia living in the community and care facilities

A/Prof Christopher Beer, A/Prof in Geriatric Medicine,University of Western Australia, Geriatrician and Clinical Pharmacologist and Pascalle Bosboom, Clinical Neuropsychologist, School of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, UWA, WA Centre for Health and Ageing (WACHA) 2010

The …

7. Prevention of Dementia

Professor Leon Flicker WA Centre for Health and Ageing (WACHA) Centre for Medical Research The University of Western Australia 2010

A summary of current evidence linking the development of Alzheimer’s Disease to some vascular and …

2009

Amana Living First Support Service

Sue Dicker and Pip Wharton 2009 Sue Dicker and Pip Wharton will present information on the First Support Service. Amana Living First Support Service is an innovative, early intervention model of service delivery that seeks to

Facilitating Change in Acute Care

Pam Nichols 2009 Pam Nichols will discuss two inititives which focus on increasing knowledge and awareness for health care professionals working with people with dementia in the acute care environment. These initives are the Acute Care

Dementia Monitoring Program and Community Inclusion

Wendy Francis from Perth Home Care Services 2009 Wendy Francis will outline the dementia monitoring program and discuss person centered planning using inclusion tools.

Dementia in Indigenous Rural, Remote Communities

Dr Leon Flicker 2009 Dr Leon Flicker’s presentation will discuss the development, implementation and evaluation of Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment tool (KICA). The aim of the KICA was develop and validate a cognitive assessment and informant

Dementia and Restraint: Reducing the Use of Restraint in Residential Aged Care

Jan Timmons 2009 Jan Timmons ‘s presentation focuses on strategies on reducing the use of restraints in residential care. Some of these strategies include:

1. Review policies and procedures
2. Making it more difficult to restrain
3. Comprehensive assessments

Come and Talk with Me: Promoting Positive Communication Strategies in Dementia Care

Jade Cartright 2009 Jade Cartwight will discuss how to understand the nature and extent of communication difficulties in dementia. She will then talk about applying a client centered care to communication management and discuss a range

Contemporary Extensions of the Person Centred Approach

Geoff Jones 2009 Geoff Jones will discuss about a person centered approach to care and debate its implications to practice. Geoff will review three extensions to relationship centred care and their implications for practice. In particular

A Palliative Approach for People who have Dementia

Associate Professor Chris Toye 2009 This presentation will describe using a palliative approach to care for someone living with dementia. Chris Toye will also discuss how to obtain the best possible palliative outcomes for people and

Vascular Dementia

Liz Graham 2009 Liz Graham will present information about vascular dementia. She will initially focus on the progression of the disease and how it develops in a stepwise fashion. Liz will then discuss the management of

Mobility Strategies and Safe Handling of People with Dementia

Veronica Naughton, Senior Occupational Therapist, Independent Living Centre 2009 Veronica discusses the physical and behavioral changes that occur when someone is living with dementia. She discusses some of the barriers to mobility and Veronica describes some

The Effect of Environmental Change on People with Dementia

Lynne Hedley – Manager, DBMAS 2009 Lynne Hedley will present strategies that could be used to plan admission for a person into a new environment. She will also identify the loss that a person may experience

Exercise for the prevention and management of dementia

Professor Rob Newton 2009 Rob Newton will present information concerning the positive impact that exercise can have not only on the management but also prevention of dementia. Rob will explain how exercise improves both the psychological

Dementia or Delirium or Depression

Dr Nick Bretland 2009 Dr Nick Bretland will discuss the differences in presentation and management of dementia, delirium and depression. Dr Bretland will explore each of the above conditions and discuss both their medical and nursing

Adapting Assessment Techniques

Flo Munro 2009 Flo Munro will discuss adapting assessments techniques to suit the needs of people living with dementia. She will promote thought about how to ensure that the people with dementia in care receive adequate

Delirium

Associate Professor Dianne Wynaden RN, PhD 2009 Dianne Wynaden will discuss how over 50% of delirium cases remain undiagnosed resulting in large financial and emotional costs to both the organisation and the family. Dianne discusses the risk

The impact of the Environment on Behaviour; It doesn’t cost much to make a change

Speakers: Karen Malone and Louise Jones 2009 Karen and Louise work as behaviour consultants with the WA Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service (DBMAS). In their presentation they discuss various issues related to the potential impact of

Treating the Symptoms of Dementia

Saloni Shah 2009 Using a case scenario as a basis, Saloni talks about different ways of treating dementia symptoms. Specific issues covered include:

1. Non-pharmacological strategies
2. Cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine: their benefits and effectiveness
3. Antipsychotics
4. The importance

Pain and Behaviour in Persons with Dementia

Thomas Fischer 2009 In this seminar, a joint initiative between WADTSC and the AAG (WA), Thomas Fischer speaks about a range of issues related to pain, its assessment and management, drawing on relevant research evidence

Restraint across the Aged Care Spectrum

Philippa Wharton 2009 Philippa provides an overview of restraint, including its use historically and currently. Various alternatives to the use of restraint are also considered, and some case scenarios presented. Specific topics covered in the

Elder Abuse & Advocacy

Speakers: Anne Pike, Dianne Barker and Melissa Jones 2009 Anne, Dianne and Melissa discuss a variety of issues related to elder abuse, with a focus on people with dementia. A number of case studies are presented

Dementia: An Overview of Assessment & Management for Health Professionals

Dr Maria Foundas 2009 Dr Maria Foundas is a Consultant Physician at Royal Perth Hospital and delivers an overview of dementia management. Specifically she discussed:

Overview of Dementia

Neuroanatomy and functional correlates Dementia subtypes Assessment … Delirium – What is it and What do we do about it?

Malcolm Hare 2009 Malcolm Hare discusses the assessment and management of delirium and discusses:

1. What is delirium and what are the risk factors
2. How to differentiate delirium from depression and dementia
3. Use of the Confusion

Self Care for Health Professionals: Looking after yourself

Speakers: Jo Bower and Arianne Cummins 2009 Jo and Arianne talk about the importance of self care for health care professionals and discuss:

1. Why self care is important
2. How to resist and manage messages of stress
3. How

Dementia and Continence Care

Dee Sutcliff 2009 Dee discusses incontinence with people living with dementia and specifically:

1. Describes what is meant by continence care
2. Describes the effects of dementia on bladder and bowel function, including incontinence
3. Lists ways in

Assistive Technology: Who are we assisting?

26 February 2009 Professor Barbara Horner Barbara Horner discussed the use of assistive technology (AT) and listed some of its benefits:

Assist health care professionals to manage data and improve communication Assist in the monitoring and …

Knowledge transfer guest lecture series

2012

Involving people with dementia in research: Experiences from the UK

• Prof John Keady
• Prof Keady will outline some of the key findings from research by the Dementia and Ageing Research Team at the University of Manchester, as well as identifying other areas of good practice in the UK.

Avoiding high tech through high touch in advanced dementia: the Namaste Care Program

• Prof Esther Chang
• End of life care inclusive of advanced care planning is frequently an omission in the care of people dying from dementia. This presentation discusses the outcomes of a study on an innovative model of care implemented for people with advanced dementia - the Namaste Care program.
• Esther Chang is a Professor of Nursing and currently holds the position of Director of Higher Degree Research and Undergraduate Honors Programs in the School of Nursing and Midwifery and is the leader of the Aged and Palliation Research stream, University of Western Sydney. She has worked in academia since 1986 with three tertiary institutions. She has been a Head of School, Dean of the Faculty of Health, Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor Academic, Director of International and Business and Director of Research in the School of nursing and Midwifery at the University of Western Sydney. Her commitment to aged care practice commenced in 1987 and she has a 20-plus year record of funded research grants in priorities for clinical practice and education, long term disability, aged care and palliation. She has developed models of care for acutely ill elderly patients and clients with end-stage dementia.

Age friendly housing and people with dementia

• Barbara Squires, Head, Research and Advocacy, IRT
• Older Australians want to remain in their own homes as long as possible, and to have care brought to them if and when they need it. Not all homes are suitable as settings for care, and Australia needs a greater supply of housing that is appropriate, well located and affordable. Two overseas organisations, Humanitas in the Netherlands and ExtraCare in the UK, provide great examples of new models of housing and care that are very popular with older people. Both can be described as “apartments for life” and both provide a good quality of life for a wide range of older people, including those with dementia. Exploring what they have in common, how they differ and what works well challenges our assumptions of the inevitability of residential care.

Pain in people living with dementia

• Sharon Wall, Manager, Koori Dementia Care Project (KDCP); Independent Clinical Gerontologist, Ageing by Caring Pty Ltd; Knowledge Translation Project Manager, Dementia Collaborative Research Centre
• Research continues to provide evidence regarding the impact of pain in people living with dementia. But it is the translation of that evidence into practice which will enhance the quality of care for this cohort. This presentation provides an overview of the development of a module of information, with that specific aim.

Misunderstanding Dementia: Issues in Providing a Palliative Approach to Care for People with Dementia Resident in Aged Care Facilities

• Professor Andrew Robinson
• Andrew Robinson is Professor of Aged Care Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Co-Director, Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre (WDREC) and Associate Dean (Research), Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Tasmania. As Co-Director of WDREC, Andrew oversees projects that span health services, clinical and biomedical research, and education and workforce capacity, to tackle the leading issues related to the increasing numbers of people with dementia.

Environmental changes in residential care plus intergenerational programs and countering malignant social psychology

• Colin McDonnell
• Colin is a Registered Nurse and has completed his Masters degree in Health Science Aged Services. Colin has presented nationally and internationally at conferences on intergenerational programs for people living with dementia. The program to be presented has won The Positive Living in Aged Care Award, A Better Practice Award and The Mental Health Services International Mental Health Award for intergenerational programs for people living with dementia.
• The presentation will include therapeutic gardens, babies and mothers groups in a Dementia unit as well as a social inclusion program designed for people living with dementia visiting a community pre-school. The presentation also discusses the concepts of Malignant Social Psychology.

2011

Cultural Diversity and Dementia: Promises and Pitfalls in our Understandings

• Dr Chris Shanley and Yvonne Santalucia
• Understanding the impact of a person’s cultural background is a crucial aspect of providing high quality dementia care. This presentation will give a brief overview of research that has occurred on this topic in Australia, outline key findings from this research and explore some of the hazards and limitations in our current understandings. The presentation will also outline some current initiatives, including the work of the National Cross Cultural Dementia Network.

The Early Detection of Vascular Cognitive Impairment

• Professor Henry Weinstein
• Professor Weinstein is lead researcher in an Amsterdam project that promotes the better control of patients with hypertension in general practice, to determine whether targeting a specific vascular risk factor will prevent or slow-down in cognitive decline and dementia; and, whether such an intervention is efficacious. In addition, an exercise program is part of the regime of better management of hypertension within this cohort study. Prof Weinstein will enlighten us on the progress of the project to date. He will also discuss his ideas on “A new concept of senile dementia and the importance of vascular risk factors and other life style factors impacting on cognitive decline”.
• Professor Weinstein will discuss how several international cohort studies have shown that vascular risk factors including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, obesity, smoking and lack of physical exercise in midlife and, to a lesser extent in late life, are associated with an increased risk of dementia.

What difference does the environment make to the wellbeing of people with dementia: New research, a new approach to the assessment of the environment and an international comparison

• Professor Richard Fleming, 12 October, 2011
• Professor Fleming will report on the results of recent research which throws new light on the contribution that the environment makes to the lives of people with dementia in residential aged care. He will go on to compare Australian dementia specific facilities with the best in Norway, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of both.
• Participants will be invited to try out a new, and relatively exciting, way of assessing residential care facilities.
• Link to lecture recording, UoW
• More details

Dementia and Retirement from Driving: People with Dementia and their Carers Critique Available Tools

• Cathie Andrew, Associate Professor Victoria Traynor and Dr John Carmody
• Driving is a complex task demanding cognitive and physical skills which can be compromised by dementia. Some people are reluctant to accept decisions made about the need to retire from driving. This lecture will discuss the findings of a study conducted by Cathie Andrew, Associate Professor Victoria Traynor and Professor Don Iverson, which sought to identify appropriate elements to include in a decisional support resource to enhance acceptance of potential driving retirement for drivers with dementia.

Palliative and End of Life Care for People with Dementia: Some Ethical and Practice Issues

• Dr Fiona Kelly, University of Stirling
• Dr Fiona Kelly is a lecturer at the Dementia Services Development Centre, University of Stirling, Scotland; teaching on the Post Graduate Cert/Dip/MSc distance learning programme in dementia studies. She is also a practicing nurse and has cared for people with dementia for the past 18 years. She has a strong commitment to improving practice in the support and care of people with dementia, in particular those who live in long term care.

The Psychologist’s Role on the Care of People with Dementia

• Dr Deborah Koder
• Dr Deborah Koder has spent over 20 years working exclusively with older clients. Her main research and clinical interest is in applying cognitive behavioural techniques to older people. She has a private practice in Northern Sydney and also works in an aged care rehabilitation hospital.
• There is increasing awareness of the role of psychological factors in the assessment and management of dementia. Dr Deborah Koder will speak about the use of psychotherapy, including cognitive behaviour therapy, with this population, as well as an approach to the management of challenging behaviours in dementia. Opportunities for psychologist in aged care will also be discussed.

Researching and Delivering Humour in Dementia Care

• Dr Peter Spitzer
• Dr Peter Spitzer is the Founding Chairman, Medical Director and a co-founder of The Humour Foundation, a national charity in Australia. The Humour Foundation’s Clown Doctor program currently has 55 Clown Doctors who visit paediatric as well as general hospitals in all states in Australia. In hospitals he operates as Dr Fruit-Loop prescribing smiles, dispensing mirth and often leaving his patients in stitches.
• Dr Spitzer is also the principal in a general medical practice in Bowral in New South Wales Australia. He initiated and travelled with fellow Clown Doctors to war-torn East Timor in 2000. In 2002, Dr Spitzer spent 3 months in USA, UK and Europe on a Churchill Fellowship Scholarship ‘To study overseas-based clown doctor programs and their impact on the health care system’.
• In 2003 he developed the LaughterBoss concept in aged care and presented this at ‘The 1st National Conference on Challenging Depression in Aged Care’ in Sydney, Australia.
• Dr Spitzer is involved in a landmark, 3-year (2009 -2011) NH&MRC-funded SMILE (Sydney Multisite Intervention of LaughterBosses and ElderClowns) Study to research the impact of humour therapy in dementia care.
• This presentation reviews the NHMRC - funded SMILE Study 2009 - 2011: A randomised controlled trial of humour therapy in residential care. Practical aspects of introducing performing artists and engaging healthcare staff are also be discussed.

Dementia and Hypertension Workshop

• Michael Venezuela
• The Illawarra Division of General Practice received funding from NSW Health to implement a GP Dementia Risk Reduction Project in local general practices. The project aims to educate GPs and PNs in general practice settings on the link between hypertension (high blood pressure) and dementia in the 45-64 year age group, encourage the application of blood pressure screening with this target group and the implementation of strategies with patients that seek to avoid or minimise the risk of hypertension and dementia over the long term. This lecture was delivered by the Illawarra Division of General Practice in partnership with the NSW / ACT DTSC.

'Specialling' and Older People with Dementia and/or Delirium: Exploring the Evidence Base for Practice

• Professor Jan Dewing
• Professor Dewing joined the School of Nursing Midwifery and Indigenous Health at the University of Wollongong in 2008 in a post that is part of a partnership between the University and Uniting AgedCare South Eastern Region. Professor Dewing leads the 'Aspire to Inspire Person-centred Culture Practice Development Program'.
• In the UK Professor Dewing works between East Sussex Health Care NHS Trust and Canterbury Christchurch University (England) as Head of/Professor of Person-centred Research and Practice Development focusing on mutually beneficially initiatives that bring desired outcomes for both organisations and ultimately for the patient 's experience of care and patient safety.
• In many general hospital and aged care settings ‘specialling’ or special observation is a common practice activity. This lecture is presented by Professor Jan Dewing, Visiting Professor Aged Care and Practice Development University of Wollongong. Professor Dewing summarises the state of current published research on special observations in regard to older persons with dementia and/or delirium and also makes recommendations for practice.

Educating Doctors and Nurses on How to Recognise and Manage Dementia: Successes and Failures

• Professor Dimity Pond
• Professor Pond has been a speaker at many national and international conferences. She has both practical experience as a current general practitioner in clinical practice, and a history of research grants and publications in general practice research. She has focused her research on dementia, depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and has taken a particular interest in developing and evaluating strategies for improving the way in which GPs and practice nurses recognise dementia and help people manage it.
• In this lecture, Professor Pond describes some of the successful strategies that have been developed as a result of her work and allows us to learn from the experience gained with one or two less successful efforts.

Dementia and Mess: Guidelines Regarding Intervention

• Dr John Snowdon
• Imagine a reclusive elderly person living alone in a dilapidated filthy house. The home is cluttered with rubbish and infested with vermin. Excrement and decomposing food are strewn around the floors and the stench emanating is unbearable to all but the occupant, who is blissfully unconcerned by the situation.
• What do you do, especially when the person is living with dementia?

2010

Dementia in Indigenous People: Risk Factors and Service Development

• Dr. Simon Chalkley
• The life journey of indigenous people exposes them to a variety of risks associated with the development of dementia. This lecture describes those risks and the plans that are being made to build capacity to reduce them. Dr. Simon Chalkley, MBBF, FRACP, PhD. is a physician, specialist geriatrician and consultant endocrinologist working in the Prince of Wales Hospital and in the aboriginal clinic at la Perouse. He has extensive experience in providing care to chronically ill indigenous people, especially those with dementia.

Lost Before Translation: Dementia and Persons from CALD Backgrounds

• Dr. Lee-Fay Low
• Are persons from CALD backgrounds more at risk of getting dementia? What are the challenges (and possible solutions) for management of these persons? This lecture addresses these questions and many others. Dr. Lee-Fay Low (BSc Psych (Hons), PhD) is an NHMRC Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Dementia Collaborative Research Centre for Assessment and Better Care Outcomes at UNSW. She leads the Community Care research node.

Younger Onset Dementia

• Dr Adrienne Withall
• There is a growing awareness of the plight of people with early onset dementia but services are yet to catch up with their needs. This lecture explores those needs. Dr Adrienne Withall is a Research Fellow at the Dementia Collaborative Research Centre for Assessment and Better Care based at the University of New South Wales.

Person-Centred Care as Caring for Country

• Faye McMillan, David Kampers and Dr Victoria Traynor
• The Lecture presents a model of person centred dementia care with relevancy for Indigenous communities in Australia. This model adds new dimensions to existing person centred care models. The model was built from an acknowledgement that practitioners need to understand healthcare for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities by exploring the inequities of health in Australia and by appreciating the ‘two worlds’ we live within. Within the model, there is an explicit acknowledgement of the importance of Country for health and explaining the impact of dementia on Community. The Lecture will explore how using this new model can provide insight into dementia within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities.

Technology Assists People with Dementia: Science Fiction, Wishful Thinking or Fact?

• Professor Richard Fleming
• The Primary Dementia Collaborative Research Centre has supported a systematic review of the assistive technology literature looking specifically for evidence of the positive effects of assistive technology on improving independence, safety and security, communication and carer support and providing therapeutic interventions for people with dementia. Richard Fleming describes the findings of this review and identifies those technologies which may have direct application to current practice.

The NSW/ACT Dementia Training Study Centre and Knowledge Translation

• Professor Richard Fleming & Dr Tom White
• Richard Fleming and Tom White explore the relationships between the NSW/ACT DTSC, the Dementia Collaborative Research Centres, the aged and health care sectors and all those trained and training health or aged care professionals who need to be informed about developments in the care of people with dementia. The challenge of translating knowledge into practice is described and the audience is invited to offer advice.