It might be arduous to speak about supporting a holistic strategy to ageing with out speaking about dementia. While it isn’t only a regular a part of ageing, the chances are you’ll know somebody residing with dementia, be supporting somebody residing with dementia otherwise you your self will develop dementia. So, we wish to get this proper – proper now. And that begins with us.
Dementia Help Australia is happy to steer the breakfast masterclass on Thursday 29 Might on the Constructive Ageing Summit, which can deal with three core areas that you just as delegates have indicated you wish to hear extra about.
I might be in dialog with Dr Duncan McKellar, who’s the final supervisor of HammondCare’s Hammond Centre and writer of An Everybody Story, and Wendy Corridor, director of Dementia Doulas Worldwide and writer of three wonderful books.
However you received’t simply hear the voices of those consultants, you’ll have the chance to listen to the residing expertise of dementia from William (Invoice) Yeates on his journey to reablement. And maybe it’s a journey we’re additionally on to vary care, to problem pondering and to empower our workforce to do higher.
Every part you and I do has a component of threat. We make selections primarily based on what creates the strongest sense of wellbeing for us – generally negotiating the results of these selections however nonetheless making them.
With the brand new Aged Care Act looming we have to fastidiously take into consideration how – in a regulated surroundings that actively seeks to remove threat – we embrace decision-making made by these residing with dementia.
If as an alternative of claiming “no we will’t” we ask “how can we?” we will transfer to really shared decision-making fashions.
The inference that an individual with dementia can’t make a alternative as a result of they haven’t any understanding of consequence is outdated. Certain, generally we have to navigate selections fastidiously, however it’s time to have a look at what true shared decision-making is.
We’ll navigate some lived experiences by the work and private expertise of our panel.
Above (clockwise from left): Dr Duncan McKellar, Invoice Yeates and Wendy Corridor
And if we’re speaking about dementia, we have to tackle the behaviour and sophisticated behaviour help. However perhaps as we begin to consider threat, we begin to consider behaviours slightly in a different way. Possibly by a lens of wellbeing not illbeing and thru a mannequin of energetic participation not deficit.
We’ve spent loads of time on – and a few of our groups have even contributed to books and sources that target – BPSD, which stands for behavioural and psychological signs of dementia.
What if we actually noticed behaviour because the response to the erosion of wellbeing for the particular person residing with dementia? And as Dr Allen Energy has advised us quite a few occasions, there isn’t any remedy that strengthens wellbeing. Possibly it solely diminishes it. But it surely isn’t straightforward to seek out our manner by the maze of modifications that do happen when you find yourself residing with and supporting individuals with dementia. So, we are going to ask some robust questions and provides you a chance to ask our panel what we will do.
And eventually, we speak about problems with engagement and re-engagement for individuals residing with dementia.
Think about a world the place unintentionally you had been faraway from the issues that provide you with goal. Issues which are a part of your distinctive story and identification and that spark pleasure for you. And as an alternative, you had been introduced with the kind of engagement that was by no means a part of your expertise.
I think about there’d be some consequential behaviour – and so it begins.
Engagement is extra than simply folding the laundry or sweeping the trail – though they are often nice if that’s what you get pleasure from. Engagement is the passive and energetic connections that really carry pleasure. How do we all know what that is after which how will we construct wellbeing plans?
So, while you’re becoming a member of the wonderful program at Constructive Ageing Summit take the time to register for our breakfast masterclass. We won’t solely speak by the above points however take the time to listen to from you, the voices from the ground and throughout the trade and begin our day, not solely nourished from our meal however from the chance to share and study collectively. Let’s go away energised for day 2 and dedicated to supporting wellbeing for all.
Marie Alford is normal supervisor of progress and innovation nationwide applications at HammondCare
Constructive Ageing Summit is an initiative of Australian Ageing Agenda and Group Care Evaluate – discover out extra on the Positive Ageing Summit 2025 website or e book your particular person and group-discounted tickets here
