Education resource supports families to make sense of dementia diagnosis

A new DVD has been launched to help increase carers’ understanding of dementia and the impact on the brain.

The resource, which community care service providers can share with clients and carers, discusses dementia and how it progresses, some of its most common forms, how the brain works and how dementia changes the brain.

How dementia affects the brain and the person is a remake of the successful film Understanding Brain and Behaviour that was first produced in 2004 by Alzheimer’s Australia NSW.

Since then it has been the most requested resource for families and carers through Alzheimer’s Australia’s libraries.

“Despite a wealth of material available online, our clients have consistently requested something they can hold and watch together with their families to help them to understand what a diagnosis of dementia means,’ Manny Sayanos, manager consultancy and learning at Alzheimer’s Australia Vic said.

“A range of organisations, including ourselves, have used the DVD in education work and have often seen participants having light bulb moments as a result of the insights it offers into how dementia affects the brain,” Mr Sayanos said.

This education resource has been reproduced and updated with funding from the newly established Dementia Training Australia, of which Alzheimer’s Australia is a consortium partner, and also the Wood Family Foundation.

The first print DVD copies will be given free to clients of Alzheimer’s Australia, used in training and counselling sessions and provided to Memory Clinics around Victoria and health professionals to give to their patients.

Copies can be ordered by calling 03 9816 5709 or emailing vic.resources@alzheimers.org.au

Dementia training for aged and healthcare workers

Elsewhere, the Dementia Training Australia consortium  is rolling out free dementia training for service staff. Dementia Essentials is a competency-based, nationally accredited course tailored for people working with or supporting those living with dementia in aged care, health care and community service settings. Read that story here

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