Better health and ageing for all Australians

Dementia

Support for people with dementia, their families and carers

Advisory services, education and training, support programs and other support for people with dementia, their families and carers.

In this section:

    Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Services (DBMAS)

    People with dementia, may present with behaviours that can cause stress to both the person with dementia and those who are caring for them.

    If you are caring for a person whose behaviours are causing concern, you may wish to contact the DBMAS program. The service is available in each State and Territory and each team has clinicians who can offer specialist support services, advice and information.

    For further information on the Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Services program please see DBMAS provision document.

    DBMAS offers 24 hour a day telephone support call 1800 699 799 (Free local call. Calls from mobile and pay phones may incur extra charges) or visit the DBMAS website .

    Dementia Training Study Centres (DTSC)

    The aim of the DTSC is to improve the quality of care and support provided to people living with dementia and their families through the development and up skilling of the dementia care workforce and the transfer of knowledge into practice.

    There are currently five DTSCs located across Australia. The DTSCs target health professionals qualified and/or seeking to be qualified at a tertiary level, but are not currently undertaking a credit based course, to encourage them to take up dementia studies.

    The DTSCs activities include: curriculum development; training resource development; work placements; guest lectures and clinical workshops; and scholarships.

    The objectives of the DTSCs program are to:
    • Identify and meet the dementia-specific education and training needs of the health aged care sector;
    • Work to ensure the ongoing sustainability of dementia-specific education and training programs;
    • Facilitate the skill and professional development of health professionals throughout the dementia health and aged care sectors;
    • Facilitate the transfer of evidence based knowledge into the day-to-day practice of dementia care;
    • Promote workforce development activities, particularly with regards to work place change, leadership, career and education pathways; and
    • Develop the capacity and skills of health professionals to undertake and pursue improved dementia care.
    Further information about the DTSCs can be found on the National Dementia Training Study Centres website.
    Top of page

    Minister’s Dementia Advisory Group

    The Minister’s Dementia Advisory Group was launched on 3 March 2008. The Advisory Group was established to provide advice to the Minister with responsibility for Ageing and to the Department of Health and Ageing on issues relating to the implementation and monitoring of programs, and dementia-related issues.

    The Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, the Hon. Mark Butler MP, has appointed Associate Professor Susan Koch as Meeting Chair. Dementia care advocate and author Ms Sue Pieters-Hawke continues as a co-Chair to enhance understanding and community awareness around dementia issues.

    The Advisory Group provides key advice from the front line on meeting the challenges resulting from the expected doubling in Australia’s dementia incidence over the next 20 years.

    Membership includes people with expert knowledge of the impact of dementia on the health and aged care systems, individuals, their carers and the wider community. Members come from the academic and aged care sectors, dementia peak organisations, service providers, the nursing sector, rural and remote locations and other geriatric specialist areas.

    For more information on the Minister’s Dementia Advisory Group please contact the Group’s Secretariat

    Dementia Education and Training for Carers

    The Dementia Education and Training for Carers program provides skill enhancement activities for carers of people living with dementia, such as driving lessons, education about dealing with challenging behaviours and personal care skills. The program is delivered by the Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres with funding provided by the Australian Government.

    National Dementia Support Program

    Information, Awareness, Education and Training

    The Australian Government funds Alzheimer’s Australia to provide and promote education programs, services and resources that aim to:
    • Improve awareness and understanding about dementia and the services available to people living with dementia, their carers, families, service providers and health professionals; and
    • Increase the skills and confidence of people living with dementia, their carers, families, health professionals, volunteers and community contacts.
    Information and awareness raising activities include:
    • Help Sheets including in languages other than English;
    • National and international conferences to provide awareness raising and information sharing forums as well as opportunity for consumer input;
    • Accredited training in Certificate III competency units for aged care workers such as Dementia Competency that is also available for families and carers;
    • Non-accredited six week courses for family carers and other participants;
    • Short courses for aged care workers;
    • Community education sessions; and
    • A range of other activities such as one day family carer courses.
    You can access these programs and services by contacting the National Dementia Helpline managed by Alzheimer’s Australia on 1800 100 500 (Free local call. Calls from mobile and pay phones may incur extra charges).
    Top of page

    Dementia and Memory Community Centres

    The Dementia and Memory Community Centres are funded by the Australian Government and managed by Alzheimer’s Australia. Dementia and Memory Community Centres are located in all capital cities and in some other cities in each State and Territory in Australia. Outreach programs provide access to people who live outside these cities.

    The Dementia and Memory Community Centres cater for people who are worried about their memory, people who have been diagnosed with dementia and the family and carers of these people as well as members of the broader community. Services include counselling, recreation activities, education courses, library and information services.

    You can locate the Dementia and Memory Community Centre nearest to you by calling the National Dementia Helpline managed by Alzheimer’s Australia on 1800 100 500 (Free local call. Calls from mobile and pay phones may incur extra charges).

    National Dementia Helpline and Referral Services

    1800 100 500 (Free local call, calls from mobile and pay phones may incur extra charges)

    The National Dementia Helpline provides a first point of contact to:
    • Support people with dementia, their families and carers;
    • Provide specialist advice to people living with dementia, their families and carers, health care professionals and the general public;
    • Facilitate referral to other services; and
    • Distribute information products.
    The Helpline is funded by the Australian Government and managed by Alzheimer’s Australia. You can contact the Translating and Interpreting Service (131 450) if you would like to contact the Helpline in a language other than English.

    Early Intervention and Counselling

    The Australian Government funds Alzheimer’s Australia to provide and promote early intervention and counselling programs and services and resources to support people living with memory loss, their families and carers. These include:
    • One to one and small group counselling;
    • Access to support groups; and
    • Early intervention support for people with early stage dementia and their carers through programs such as the Living with Memory Loss Program.
    You may access these programs and services by contacting the National Dementia Helpline managed by Alzheimer’s Australia on 1800 100 500 (Free local call. Calls from mobile and pay phones may incur extra charges).
    Top of page

    Living Longer, Living Better

    The Living Longer Living Better aged care reform package provides $3.7 billion over five years. It encompasses a 10 year reform program to create a flexible and seamless system that provides older Australians with more choice, control and easier access to a full range of services, where they want it and when they need it. The reforms will be implemented in stages. This will enable consumers and providers to gain early benefits from key changes, while ensuring they have time to adapt and plan ahead for further reform.

    Key components of the reforms include:
    • Additional support and care to help older people remain living at home;
    • Additional help for carers to access respite and other support;
    • Delivering better residential aged care;
    • Strengthening the aged care workforce;
    • Supporting consumers and research;
    • Better health connections;
    • Tackling the nation’s dementia epidemic;
    • Supporting older Australians from diverse backgrounds;
    • Implementation Council to drive the reform package;
    • Establishing an Aged Care Financing Authority;
    • Establishing a Gateway to services to assist older Australians in finding information and to better navigate the aged care system;
    • Streamlined quality regulation; and
    • Improved powers to handle consumer complaints.
    Further information on the comprehensive reform package can be found on the Living Longer Living Better website.

    Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres

    Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres are funded by the Australian Government. There are 54 Centres across Australia. Centres provide carers and other members of the community with information about community, aged care, disability and other support services available locally or across Australia for older people, people with a disability, and those who provide care and services.

    Centres also assist carers with options to take a break, and have funding that can be used to purchase short-term and emergency respite for carers based on assessed need. Centres can be contacted on 1800 052 222* (*Free local call. Calls from mobile and pay phones may incur extra charges). The Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres website also contains a range of information relevant to carers, including a directory of services to help people find services in their local region..

    The Carer Information and Support Service

    The Carer Associations offer two programs to carers that are supported by Australian Government funding:

    The Carer Information and Support Service offers specialist information and advice, emotional support as well as a pathway to counselling, support groups, education and training, advocacy, referrals and assistance in planning for the caring role. The Carer Information and Support Service is also available to community service providers and the general public seeking specialist information on carers.

    The National Carer Counselling Program provides short term counselling, emotional and psychological support services for carers in need of such support, in order to reduce carer stress and improve carer coping skills.

    The Carer Information and Support Service and the National Carer Counselling Program are delivered through the Network of Carer Associations in each state and territory who can be contacted on 1800 242 636 (Free local call. Calls from mobile and pay phones may incur extra charges).
    Top of page