Free dementia resource for carers and other news

Researchers looking for volunteers, a free resource for carers of people with dementia, a short film premiere, and a live television forum discussing the government’s LGBTI strategy are among news briefs in this story.

  • Dementia resource for carers
  • Volunteers wanted for phyical activity and dementia study
  • Living alone with dementia
  • LGBTI stratgey television forum

 

Dementia resource for carers

A free resource booklet has been launched this week for carers of people with dementia.

The 20 page booklet Dementia – A Resource Guide for Carers has been produced by Home Instead Senior Care and Alzheimer’s Australia Queensland.

It includes an outline of what dementia is and how it affects people; suggestions for ways a carer can provide practical support; insights and communication tips for carers; and information about where carers can obtain further advice and support.

The booklet is available for free from Home Instead Senior Care Offices, by calling the National Dementia Help Line on 1800 100 500.

It can also be downloaded here: Dementia – A Resource Guide for Carers


Volunteers wanted for physical activity and dementia study

The National Ageing Research Institute (NARI) in collaboration with The University of Melbourne is looking for volunteers to take part in a three-year study investigating whether physical activity and goal setting training can help inactive older adults at risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

The INDIGO study, which begins this month, is seeking older adults who are not physically active and have memory problems and a second group of physically active older adults to be peer mentors.

Participants need to be aged between 60 and 80 years from the Melbourne area with memory concerns and do less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week.

Mentors, who will complete a short course on supporting participants, need to be aged between 50 and 80 years and do at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity a week.

To express your interest or find out more, contact Ellen Gaffy on 03 8387 2296 or e.gaffy@nari.unimelb.edu.au.


Living alone with dementia

A short film about a program for men in the early stages of dementia and male carers of people with dementia has been launched this week.

The Every Man Needs a Shed program, which is run by Alzheimer’s Australia NSW in conjunction with the Australian Men’s Shed Association, has been successfully running in the Hunter region for the past year.

It looks at reducing social isolation in men who are living with dementia or caring for someone with dementia.

The short film premiered in New South Wales Parliament on Wednesday.

You can view it here: Alzheimer’s Australia and Men’s Sheds: Making a Difference

The film premiere coincided with Alzheimer’s Australia NSW issuing a discussion paper, Living Alone With Dementia, also launched at Parliament House.

The paper looks at the estimated increase in the number of people with dementia living alone and the corresponding implications for social policy and delivery of services.

The main recommendations in the paper call for the federal government to ensure community services are targeted and funded to people living alone with dementia and to fund community dementia education for workers in contact with people with dementia, such as GPs, chemists, bank tellers and retail staff.

The paper, which was supported through a grant from the IRT Research Foundation, can be found here: Living Alone with Dementia


LGBTI television forum

The Aged Care Channel (ACC) in partnership with the Department of Health and Ageing will broadcast and open forum next Wednesday discussing the commonwealth government’s National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) Ageing and Aged Care Strategy.

The live-to-air program Are we meeting the needs of LGBTI people? will discuss the strategy and how it impacts the provision of aged care services to the LGBTI community.

ACC host Karen Martin will be joined by panelists Paul Martin, Care Connect National LGBTI Officer, and Corey Irlam from the National LGBTI Health Alliance.

ACC members can have specific questions addressed on air by the panelists by phoning in during the program. It airs 2:15pm AEST on Wednesday 26 June 2013.

For more information see: National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) Ageing & Aged Care Strategy Forum

 

 

Tags: aged-care-channel, alzheimer-australia, home-instead-senior-care, lgbti, mens-shed, nari, news-briefs,

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