Home care provider VMCH has partnered with Caladenia Dementia Care and My Dementia Companion to develop and trial Australia’s first dementia practice guide for case managers and care coordinators who support people living with dementia and their carers in their homes.
Your Guide to Implementing Person-Driven Care was launched at at the International Dementia Conference in Sydney on Thursday.
The resource aims to provide workers with information to help refer clients to appropriate and individualised support as their needs change, and if the trial is successful, could also be used in allied health, residential aged care and disability settings and by families and carers.
Dementia can be an isolating experience and individuals and their families often report feeling ‘lost’ after receiving a diagnosis, said VMCH Dementia Services Specialist Elizabeth Baxter.
This is made worse by a lack of guidance for the community care workforce about where and how to find dementia support.
“We know that 70 per cent of people diagnosed with dementia live in the community and receive regular community care,” Ms Baxter said.
Clinical guidelines are available to clinicians, however, there are no guidelines for staff working in the community sector for people post diagnosis.
VMCH dementia services specialist Elizabeth Baxter
“Clinical Guidelines are available to clinicians, however, there are no guidelines for staff working in the community sector for people post diagnosis. There is also a workforce shortage in community care and less experience in providing dementia-specific support.”
VMCH CEO Sonya Smart says the guide reflects the organisation’s commitment to supporting people living with dementia and their loved ones.
“Unfortunately, a cure for dementia is likely not something we may see within our lifetime, but what is within our control is how we can support those struggling with the disease now,” she said.
Ms Smart said the project recognised the benefits of collaborating with like-minded professionals and organisations to share expertise and to equip the workforce with the skills and tools needed to provide the highest quality care.
“As more and more people opt to receive care in their own homes as they age, this need becomes vital,” she said.
VMCH executive general manager of quality and clinical excellence Funda Ozenc said it was hoped the guide would plug a gap, with numerous resources on dementia but no consolidated practice guidelines.
“These would provide various stakeholders with streamlined access to individualised resources and, consequently, enhance the quality of and access to care and services.”
VMCH plans to approach the National Ageing Research Institute to put together a full research project evaluating the efficacy of the guide and how it can best be used.
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