Improving dementia support through program redesign

In January 2016 the Australian Government announced the next phase in a new national approach to programmes and services supporting people with dementia and their carers. Minister for Aged Care, the Hon. Sussan Ley MP announced the restructure, following findings from the 2015 Analysis of Dementia Programmes report.

“What I want to see is a nationally streamlined approach to the design, development and outcomes from dementia programmes and services,” the Minister said at the time. “This will produce better services for people with dementia, carers and also providers, each of whom need to know the range of support and assistance accessible irrespective of where you live.”

Two associations have been selected to deliver a national dementia behaviour management service and streamlined training programme to better support people with dementia and their carers it has now been announced by Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon. Ken Wyatt MP.

“In January 2016, Minister Ley announced a redesign of dementia programs, based on the findings of the Analysis of Dementia Programmes report,” Assistant Minister Wyatt says in a press release from the 16^th of September 2016.

“The redesign included a single national provider for the Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service to provide specialist clinical support services, advice and information to those caring for people with dementia; and streamlining the current Dementia Study Training Centres and Dementia Care Essentials Program into a single national Dementia Training Program.”

“Following a competitive open market process, a consortium led by HammondCare has been selected to deliver the Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service, while a University of Wollongong-led consortium will develop and enhance the skills of the workforce who care for people with dementia under the Dementia Training Program.”

“The new national programs will begin from 1 October this year. During September the new providers will work with current providers to make sure there are no gaps in the service delivery or support,” the Minister said.

With more than 353,800 people in Australia currently diagnosed with dementia-related diseases, dementia is the largest single cause of disability in older Australians and the third largest cause of disability in Australia, over-all.

Mike Cullen has recently returned to Akolade after a period as the conference producer for one of Australia's leading economic think tanks. Mike began working in the conference industry in 2007 after looking for a career change from the high pressured world of inbound customer service. Mike has worked for some of the most well-known conference and media companies in the B2B space and in his spare time is working on his first novel in a planned Epic Fantasy trilogy.

Mike’s most recently published story, Seeds of Eden, is featured in the Sproutlings Anthology released in March 2016. Mike is also editing the Anthology – Community: Tales of the LGBTI scheduled for release in June 2017.