dementia newsletter

Summer 2014

Year

Welcome to the last quarterly

newsletter for 2014, it’s a way of

sharing what is happening at

Bethanie in our Dementia Services.

I welcome your ideas, suggestions

for the next Bethanie Dementia

Committee meeting in March 2015

feel free to contact me @

[email protected]

Project updates

Memory Van in Bethanie 2105

Community Café Project 2015

CommunicAid App Project

See Resources /Events on

Page 4. Bethanie Dementia

Web Page

Page 5. Christmas gifts ideas

Page 3. Free on-line training

Page 7. Practical Pointers

Memory Van is a valuable community service in

Bethanie Retirement Villages

Did you know: There are over 30,700 West Australians living with a diagnosis

of Dementia? Overwhelmingly, most of those people live in the community

and not aged care facilities. To raise awareness of dementia and share how

people can live positively with dementia at home with support I arranged the

Memory Van Tour. Please look at the dates below and come along and

learn how you can live well,

Dates for the memory van visits in 2015:

Monday 19th January: Innaloo 10-11am; Joondanna 12-1pm

Thursday 22nd January: Yanchep 9.30-12.30

Tuesday 27th January: Hamilton Hill 10-11am.

Thursday 29th January Bethanie on the Park (TBC) 10-11am

Tuesday 3rd February: Bethanie Waters 9.30-12.30

Thursday 5th Feb. Bethanie Fields 1-4pm

Friday 6th Feb. Elanora 10-12noon.

Living with Dementia and the

Community Café Project

Can you come along to your local community cafe to become a powerful

voice making a difference for those living with dementia in WA?

People living with dementia offer a unique perspective on their journey and

experiences. We want to learn from your experience in order to understand

what it’s like to live with dementia in your community.

Floreat 10 December 2014 Bunbury 19 February 2015

Wanneroo 2 February 2015 Albany 25 February 2015

Rockingham 6 February 2015 Northam 4 March 2015

Mandurah 6 February 2015 Kalgoorlie 12 March 2015

Midland 10 February 2015 Geraldton 18 March 2015

Armadale 13 February 2015 Esperance 25 March 2015

Melville 18 February 2015

The high tea will commence at 10am, except Mandurah which will

Commence at 2pm.

RSVP is essential. To RSVP, please contact Veronica Keltie on 9388 2800

or register online at: https://wa.fightdementia.org.au/community-cafe

DEMENTIA NEWSLETTER

mailto:[email protected]

https://wa.fightdementia.org.au/community-cafe

DEMENTIA NEWSLETTER Summer 2014

This year we have provided extra support and friendship to many people who have dementia and their dear families from our wonderful volunteers who live in Western Australia from Geraldton, Yanchep, Perth, Rockingham and Bunbury. I would like to acknowledge them and the coordinator Laurette Le Cras who makes this happen and wish you all a very Happy Christmas. Here are some examples of the feedback,

“I will always remember the most beautiful smile on Thelma’s face when her ‘buddy’ Colleen arrived to spend time with her “ “We are privileged to have a team of the most wonderful & dedicated volunteers from a wide array of backgrounds & interests who so generously give of their time and commit to volunteering as part of this program. When they can see the benefits to the residents and their families they know their commitment is so worthwhile.” “Her husband has commented on the wonderful improvement in her general well-being since becoming a participant in the Dementia Friends Program” FREE COUNSCELLING Alzheimer’s Australia WA Counselling Services focuses on supporting people to manage with the emotional and practical issues related to dementia. They provide a time limited free service that is available for those living with dementia, carers, families, couples and people concerned about memory loss. Counselling is offered face to face at the Mary Chester Centre in Shenton Park or via telephone. In addition to this the Counsellors facilitate a number of psycho educational workshops which are available for carers to attend. Call the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500 from Monday- Friday 8am-5pm to make an appointment for Counselling, or to sign up for any of the workshops. For further detail call 9388 2800

Volunteers Project

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS

If you would like this training for your

volunteers either contact me or

Laurette Le Cras.

Following this training the volunteers

work with the occupational therapist

and myself we try and link each

volunteer to a client or a small group.

Meeting the psychosocial and

spiritual needs for a person enables

some communication and reduces

loneliness because of the extra

support and time given with

communication.

Valuing people, giving them identity

and looking at their world from their

perception allows joy and adds

meaning to their day.

This can also allow more time and

less focus on tasks and contributes

to a more relaxed home like

environment.

Contact Laurette Le Cras on

131 151 for further details.


Update on the CommunicAid App

Alzheimer Australia Western Australia has developed an App for touch screen technology, this very simple and user friendly App enables the user to create his/her own individual CommunicAid from a wide range of photos and illustrations of items a person may ask for or need on a daily basis. Please take a look http://www.communicaid.com.au/index.html This will be launched in 2015.For further details contact Sheila Lapping on 9388 2800

Education Updates

Have you seen MOOC? The University of Tasmania's Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), Understanding Dementia, is a free 9-week online course that builds upon the latest in international research on dementia. It's free and anyone can register. The next offering will be held in 2015. You can express your interest here. http://www.utas.edu.au/wicking/wca/mooc The curriculum draws upon the expertise of neuroscientists, clinicians and dementia care professionals in the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre. Here is some of the feedback that I have received over the past two weeks: “I’m really enjoying this course and find the format and delivery very interesting and an enjoyable way to learn.” “I work in an Aged care dementia unit and am very passionate about my residents receiving the best care. I really appreciate getting the opportunity to learn more about dementia and am looking forward to being able to translate what I’ve learned to my work.” “I'm loving this so much so far and have learnt so much. It is helping me to understand more of what my mum is going through with her dementia and what's going to happen.” When we increase our knowledge about dementia we can improve the level of care for people in our community and help to reduce the stigma for people who live with dementia.

http://www.communicaid.com.au/index.html

http://www.utas.edu.au/wicking/wca/mooc


Dementia Care on the Bethanie website

The latest update of this

newsletter can be found on the

new Dementia web page, CLICK

ON EXTRA SERVICES, on the

Bethanie website.

If you would like to give

comment or add any

information please contact

[email protected]


Christmas Gift Ideas As you know orientation to time may be an issue for people with Dementia. These awesome new clocks developed by the Bath Institute of Medical Engineering - for Alzheimer's UK. They show the day and the general time of day- without having to interpret numbers, which, as you know, may be problematic for people living with dementia. The information about the radio is available from Alzheimer’s Australia. They'll be available for $120. Genevieve Major is an OT who is an Occupational Therapist who has worked with people with dementia and their families for over 10 years; you may like to contact her if you need this equipment for your clients. Contact her via email [email protected]

Automatic Calendar One button radio (Alzheimer’s Australia)

The radio and sing-along DVD are available on line or call Alzheimer Australia WA

mailto:[email protected]


International Alzheimer’s Conference Perth 2015

Latest Developments in Science

•Epidemiology

•Aetiology of Dementia

•Diagnosis

•Treatment

•Psychosocial Interventions

•Prognosis

Past, Present and Future of Dementia

•Younger Onset Dementia

•Social Isolation / Inclusion

•Awareness and Stigma

•Consumer Engagement (People with Dementia and Family Carers)

•Residential Care Models of the Future

•The Economics of Dementia

•Indigenous Research

Prevention

•Restorative Neuroscience

What’s new? You can download this My Life Story

app from iTunes costs $9.95.

If you need more information please email Genevieve

Major

[email protected]


Practical pointers It’s important to understand that we have to change our communication style to meet the needs of someone living with dementia as they are unable to change theirs.

Facts Dementia is an umberrella term for a syndrome associated with more than a 100 different conditions characterised. Symptoms may include the impairment of language , brain function, personality, perception and cognitive skills. Every case is unique.Every life experience is different.This is why person centred care is the best approach,we focus on a persons ability, we see them first e.g what they can still manage not their disability . Nationally by 2020 there will be an estimated 400,000 +cases. By 2050 there will be an estimated 900,000 +cases. It is not a normal part of aeging. (Australian bureau of Statistics and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2013.) BRAIN TRAINING This training appears promising especially in the interplay between cognitive/neurological insight and the emotional/psychological denial that people with dementia may use as a coping strategy. More info available at, http://www.braintreetraining.co.uk/about.htm. www.luminosity.com.au

http://www.braintreetraining.co.uk/about.htm

http://www.luminosity.com.au/


More News ……. Hills Health this week have recently launched a community activity monitoring product which is placed within the family home environment. Web page link below. http://www.mylively.com The system looks for normal household activities such as opening a fridge door, shower doors, key or pill box movement. An app shows a ‘dashboard’ of activity patterns on an iPad or iPhone and if no movement is detected a message can be automatically sent to a nominated recipient.For further details click on the link and watch the video .

“I work strategically for Bethanie Care to provide specialist consultancy Dementia Care in areas which are newly developing or requiring a strategic focus. Combining my knowledege and passion and clarity with detailed general management experience I help a wide range of services to operationalise new cultures of care. Thankyou to all the managers, staff and the clients and their families who have contacted me this year I look forward in continuing this service in 2015.” Merry Christmas from me and my family Michelle

http://www.mylively.com/


If you need support please contact

Bethanie on 131 151 or [email protected]

fightdementia.org.au

www.alzheimerswesternaustralia.com.au or NATIONAL DEMENTIA HOTLINE

1800 100 500

memorynuture.com.au

The McCusker Nurse Service Is a free service offered to carers of people living with dementia. Service is accessible during business hours McCusker Nurse Contact details:

North Telephone: (08) 9424 6393 Mobile: 0417 519 253 Telephone: (08) 9334 7418 Mobile: 0437 110 928

http://www.alzheimerswesternaustralia.com.au/


Geraldton Telephone: 1300 262 626

South Telephone: (08) 9334 7418 Mobile: 0437 110 928

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