Flagship Projects Archives - DCRC

The International Research Network on Dementia Prevention (IRNDP)

WebTeam SDD — Sat, 13 Jun 2020 22:49:31 +0000

The IRNDP is a multinational network bringing together researchers who are working to reduce the risk of dementia across the world.

The International Research Network on Dementia Prevention (IRNDP) has been established to:

increase dementia risk reduction messaging worldwide, and
develop targeted research to answer questions about the detailed impact of known and emerging risk factors in dementia.

This has particular relevance in low- to middle-income (LMIC) countries as exposure to lifestyle and clinical risk factors becomes more common as LMIC economies grow.

While there are many current overlapping public health, patient, research, policy and practice initiatives aimed at prevention or treatment of dementia, there is currently no single collaborative network of researchers to focus global attention on prevention and on LMICs.

The globally ageing population makes a collaborative network like IRNDP highly relevant worldwide.

Please visit the IRNDP website to see the results of IRNDP led research, meet the researchers and access multiple IRDNP resources on dementia risk reduction including multi-language infographics and fact sheets for the public as well as for the research and stakeholder communities.

For further information, please contact either Dr Ruth Peters or Dr Lidan Zheng.

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Capacity Building for Care Research (CBCR) Program

WebTeam SDD — Mon, 13 Apr 2020 22:50:30 +0000

The CBCR Program aims to develop the research capacity of Australian dementia care researchers in nursing and allied health disciplines. It was developed to redress the limited capacity of academics from these disciplines to undertake high quality dementia care research in Australia and become research leaders and lead innovative research in this area.

An Expert Advisory Group including leading dementia care researchers informed program development. Thirteen early-mid career researchers in dementia care from nursing and allied health disciplines enrolled in the program in 2019 and are referred to as Fellows. Each Fellow was matched with a suitable Mentor (a senior Research Academic) based on their research interests and foci. Both Fellows and Mentors were inducted into the program and each Fellow has developed an Individual Development Plan. All dyads meet (virtually) on a regular basis and connections have been made to facilitate the inclusion of Fellows on large research grants.

Fortnightly education and training sessions are provided for Fellows via Zoom to ensure they have the requisite knowledge and skills to become successful researchers and research leaders. Experts present on topics including writing skills, time management and involving consumers in dementia care research.

The program is being evaluated for effectiveness, professional outcomes and cost.

For further information, please contact either Elaine Fielding or Dr Catherine Travers.

Dr Marita Chisholm was awarded $97,780 in Dec 2020 by the Nurses Board of Victoria Legacy Ltd. with her project: Improving the identification, assessment and management of pain for rural older people: A nurse-led pain management intervention
Drs Linda Schnitker & Margaret MacAndrew were awarded a Distinguished Educator Award, Hartford Centre of Gerontological Nursing Excellence in June 2020.
Dr Claire O’Connor co-authored Supporting people living with dementia through reablement
Fox, A., MacAndrew, M. & Ramis, M. (2020) Health outcomes of patients with dementia in acute care settings – a systematic review. The International Journal of Older People Nursing
Claudia Meyer & Jade Cartwright feature on the Dementia Australia website
Margie MacAndrew’s Getting Home Safely Project aims to revise and develop a standardised approach to reporting a missing person with dementia in Australia to improve health outcomes for this vulnerable population.
CBCR Research Fellow, Kasia Bail is part of the team behind a new, Clinical support platform improves staff efficiency, care quality

Meet the Team

Dr. Catherine Travers

Senior Research Fellow

PhD (University of Queensland)

Dr Travers is currently managing a mentoring program for early and mid-career dementia care researchers that aims to develop a cohort of capable researchers able to lead and promote dementia care research in Australia. She has previously undertaken projects aimed at improving the care of older people with cognitive impairment [...]

Dr. Margie MacAndrew

Lecturer, School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology

PhD

Dr MacAndrew is a registered nurse with experience in caring for people with dementia in long term care and her research interests focus on improving quality of life and care for people with dementia who wander. She has trialled two behavioural interventions that aimed to reduce risky aspects of wandering [...]

Dr. Jade Cartwright

Speech Pathologist, Clinical Educator & Researcher, School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Curtin University

Dr Cartwright has focused her research on finding evidence for word finding, communication and psychosocial interventions for people living with dementia and their families. Jade is particularly interested in developing strategies to support people in the early stages of primary progressive aphasia, enabling proactive coping and continued life participation. Jade’[...]

Dr. Erin Conway

Senior Lecturer – Speech Pathology, School of Allied Health, Australian Catholic University

Dr Erin Conway’s research interests and expertise relate to communication changes experienced by people with dementia, and the evaluation of treatments that aim to improve communication for people with dementia. Her research ultimately aims to improve access to evidence-based speech pathology services that will support communication for people with [...]

Dr. Kasia Bail

Assistant Professor, Disciplines of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra

Dr Bail’s research focuses on three key areas of health expenditure: older people, hospitals and nursing. Her research aims to improve the quality and efficiency of acute care delivery for ageing populations by providing evidence on interventions and outcomes. She uses qualitative, quantitative and cost analysis methods of inquiry, [...]

Dr. Marita Chisholm

Innovation & Projects Manager Older Persons Health, Warracknabeal, Victoria

PhD

Dr Chisholm is a Registered Nurse who completed her PhD in 2016. Her research focuses on access to dementia care and support services in people living with dementia in regional and rural areas. Additional research interests include dementia and selfhood; living well with dementia; volunteering and civic engagement opportunities for people [...]

Dr. Christine While

Research Fellow, Australian Centre for Evidence Based Aged Care, La Trobe University

PhD

Dr Christine While is a registered psychiatric nurse with extensive experience in caring for people with dementia and older adults with mental illness in the community. Christine’s research interest grew out of out of her clinical background and informed her recently completed PhD which explored the impact of community [...]

Prof. Elizabeth Beattie

Director - QUT Hub

PhD

Professor Beattie’s primary research interests lie in the area of the prevention of negative functional outcomes of behavioural issues in dementia, specifically elopement, getting lost, fatigue and nutritional issues, and in ethical issues related to decisional incapacity. She is passionate about helping young scholars develop knowledge and skills in [...]

Dr. Maria O'Reilly

Senior Lecturer, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity, Bundaberg

PhD

Dr Maria O’Reilly is an Occupational Therapist with over 30 years’ experience as a clinician, educator and researcher. Her research interests include residential aged care, quality of life, rural health, and living well with dementia. She is currently leading a program of research on dementia-inclusive travel, which has resulted in [...]

Dr. Linda Schnitker

Lecturer, School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology

Linda Schnitker is an RN with a Master’s degree in Advanced Nursing Practice (Nurse Practitioner specialising in aged care). Linda’s research primarily focuses on improving the care of older people with cognitive impairment (i.e. delirium, dementia) in emergency departments departments (ED) and has developed a set of [...]

Dr. Claire O'Connor

Research Fellow, Centre for Positive Ageing, Hammond Care

Dr O’Connor combines her clinical training in occupational therapy with research skills, and is passionate about contributing to research that is meaningful to people impacted by dementia. Her PhD investigated behaviour, function and activity engagement in people living with frontotemporal dementia. More recently, her work has focused on maximising [...]

Dr. Claudia Meyer

Research Fellow, Bolton Clarke Research Institute, Melbourne

PhD

Dr Claudia Meyer combines her skills as an experienced physiotherapist with her research expertise, moving research into action for community-dwelling older people and their carers. Her research interests include the translation of falls prevention knowledge for people with dementia and their carers in the Australian community care context, equity in [...]

Dr. Jacki Liddle

Research Fellow, Occupational Therapist, School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, The University of Queensland

PhD

Dr Jacki Liddle’s research focusses on identifying ways to support people living with dementia to continue to participate in their communities. She has an interest in supporting people with managing driving cessation (and was a founder of the CarFreeMe program), managing life transitions related to ageing and health conditions, [...]

Dr. Elaine Fielding

Senior Research Fellow

PhD

She is currently involved in a project led by Dr Maria O’Reilly which tests a transition support intervention to improve the residential respite experience of people with dementia and their carers.

Dr. Karen Watson

Lecturer, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS)

Dr Karen Watson is a registered nurse with a background in naturopathy. Her research interests focus on ways to support the care needs of older people challenged by changes in cognition that can occur with healthy ageing and dementia. She has investigated interventions, including naturopathy, for the behavioural management of [...]

Dr. Amanda Fox

Senior Lecturer and Postgraduate Course Coordinator, School of Nursing, Queensland University of Technology

Dr Fox is a Registered Nurse with a clinical background across a variety of settings including both acute and community care. Amanda’s research portfolio includes dementia and cognitive impairment care, health service delivery and advanced practice nursing roles. Recent projects have examined factors influencing the sustainability of health service [...]

Meet Our Mentors

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Behaviours & Psychological Symptoms associated with Dementia (BPSD)

WebTeam SDD — Mon, 13 Apr 2020 09:52:41 +0000

Most people living with dementia will experience changed Behaviours and Psychological Symptoms associated with dementia (BPSD), also referred to as responsive behaviours, changed behaviours and neuropsychiatric symptoms at some stage during their illness. These terms encompass a broad range of symptoms including aggression, agitation, sleep disturbance, anxiety, apathy, depression, psychotic symptoms and wandering.

Despite accumulating evidence that BPSD can be prevented from occurring or escalating using non-pharmacological approaches, these evidence-based strategies are not currently being widely adopted. Many people with dementia are inappropriately prescribed psychotropic medicines. Person-Centred Care is the exception rather than the rule across care settings but particularly in acute and residential care. The Australian Clinical Practice Guidelines for Dementia in Australia provide standards against which benchmarking can occur. Culture change can only be achieved through partnership between researchers, service providers, clinicians and policy makers.

The DCRC has developed unique expertise and clinical networks in the area of BPSD care and compiled a highly successful Guide to Good Practice Managing BPSD in print, online and App formats and one of the current aims of the Flagship is to update these resources. Additionally, as part of the 2018-2021 Flagship activities, we plan to disseminate a BPSD guide for clinicians working with the LGBTIQ community which we have completed and have plans for language-friendly guides for CALD communities.

Better understanding of and improvement in identification, assessment and care practices for BPSD in Australia will result in more highly skilled aged care and health providers. This, in turn, will result in better quality of life for people with dementia and their families and long-term cost benefits.

There is a large body of evidence for how to provide quality care for people experiencing BPSD. The challenge is how to translate this knowledge into practice. The objective of this Flagship Program is to establish feasible, economical and generalisable strategies to make this business as usual in all care settings, primary, community, acute and residential. To achieve this aim we will support projects implementing or evaluating sustainable programs for promoting best practice in caring for people experiencing BPSD or aiming to change the culture of care in primary, community, acute or residential care to reduce or ameliorate BPSD. Current evidence gaps such as projects targeting special needs groups e.g. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, rural/remote and LGBTI communities will be sought after and we will work to synthesise all data and work with service providers and policy makers to make Person-Centred Care business as usual across all communities and settings.

Find out more about the Behaviours and psychological symptoms associated with dementia (BPSD):

Special Interest Group (SIG)

Resources to support the management of behaviours and psychological symptoms associated with dementia (BPSD):

Clinician’s Field Guide to Good Practice (Behaviours & Psychological Symptoms of Dementia)

The Clinician’s Field Guide is a ‘travel size’ hands-on summary of the original and comprehensive document Behaviour Management: A Guide to Good Practice, Managing Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD). This smaller guide for clinicians provides easy access to key messages, BPSD descriptions, potential causes and brief clinical scenarios to guide assessment and management strategies.

A Guide for Family Carers

A Guide for Family Carers is a ‘travel size’ adapted summary of the original DBMAS Behaviour Management Guide to Good Practice. This Guide is for family carers supporting a person with dementia. It includes practical information about how to deal with behaviours and psychological symptoms associated with dementia (BPSD)*

Behaviour Management: A Guide to Good Practice (BPSD Guide)

The document Behaviour Management: A Guide to Good Practice, Managing Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD) is a comprehensive overview of evidence and practice-based management principles for BPSD*. This resource is designed for clinicians with a role in caring for people with dementia in residential aged care facilities (RACFs), community care and acute care settings. The BPSD Guide provides guidance for clinicians supporting family members and carers as well as RACF and community care staff caring for people with dementia who present with BPSD.

Posters for Remote Aboriginal Communities – Behaviours and Psychological Symptoms associated with Dementia

The BPSD Posters for Remote Aboriginal Communities are a set of posters based on the principles outlined in the document Behaviour Management – A Guide to Good Practice: Managing Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD). The posters were developed in collaboration with the Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service, Northern Territory (DBMAS NT) and other expert clinicians to support a series of BPSD videos developed by DBMAS NT.

Webinar: Symposium 1 – Changed Behaviours – Fri 18 June 2021

Presented by DCRC & DTA

Disinhibited behaviours are actions which seem tactless, rude or even offensive. They occur when a person’s words and/or actions don’t follow the generally understood social rules about what or where to say or do something.

Recorded Friday 18 June, 2021
Presented by Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration (DCRC) & Dementia Training Australia (DTA)
Running Time: 2:22

Dementia Outcomes Measurement Suite (DOMS)

The Dementia Outcomes Measurement Suite or DOMS is a compendium of validated tools for the assessment of various aspects of dementia by health care professionals. The DOMS project was originally commissioned under the Australian government’s National Dementia Initiative, and was designed to develop a standard suite of instruments that would be promulgated throughout Australia to encourage clinicians to ‘talk the same language’ by using the same instruments as much as possible.

Responsive Behaviour Quick Reference Cards

Dementia Training Australia's (DTA) Quick Reference Cards are designed to help address responsive behaviours. The cards provide an on-the-spot point of reference for health professionals and care staff working with people with dementia.

LGBTI Fact Sheets

There is a need for greater, targeted support for LGBTI people with dementia from all care contexts, requiring service providers to be better informed in the additional considerations relevant to the management of BPSD in this group.

DTA’s Responsive Behaviour App

Dementia Training Australia’s (DTA) Responsive Behaviours App is an on-the-spot reference point for health professionals and care staff working with people with dementia. Underpinned by a person-centred approach, this app will help you look up common responsive behaviours, find approaches to help you problem solve, address responsive behaviours and help prevent them. THE APP INCLUDES: […]

Webinar: Day 2 – Anxiety and Depression in Dementia Research Network (ADDResearch)

In November 2020 two DCRC online symposia took place for people interested in dementia research on improving care and reducing changed behaviours and psychological symptoms associated with dementia.

The aims of Day 2 of the symposia were to launch the new ‘Anxiety and Depression in Dementia Research Network (ADDResearch)’ and the focus was on research into anxiety and depression in dementia. This network is a collaboration between UNSW Sydney and the University of Queensland and is co-led by Drs Claire Burley and Nadeeka Dissanayaka.

Recorded Wednesday, 11 November 2020
Presented by Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration (DCRC) & University of Queensland
Running Time: 02:30:00

Webinar: Day 1 – Changed behaviours and psychological symptoms associated with dementia

In November 2020 two DCRC online symposia took place for people interested in dementia research on improving care and reducing changed behaviours and psychological symptoms associated with dementia.

The aims of Day 1 of the symposia were to discuss research activities involving changed behaviours and/or psychological symptoms associated with dementia and care for people living with dementia. This event forms part of the special interest group led by Dr Claire Burley

Recorded Wednesday, 4 November 2020
Presented by Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration (DCRC)
Running Time: 02:30:00

Webinar: Understanding Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia and Antipsychotic Medications

How to understand, prevent, and remedy Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD). This video is a webinar originally recorded for the HALT project as part of an accredited educational activity for GPs.

Recorded June 2016

Presenter: Professor Henry Brodaty

Running Time: 90 minutes

Behaviour and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia Guide for Clinicians App (currently unavailable)

An app developed to provide guidance for clinicians in their role of assisting residential aged care facility staff, community care staff and family members caring for persons living with dementia, who present with behavioural and psychological symptoms. This App provides summary information relevant to the most commonly presenting behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD): […]

Care4Dementia App (currently unavailable)

This App was developed to provide information and support for carers in their role of caring for persons with behavioural changes that can occur in dementia. Information on what these behaviours look like, why they might be happening and what you can do to help is included for those most commonly reported by carers. Understanding why behavioural changes are occurring can help to manage the behaviour.

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