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Dementia lifestyle coach
Peer support and coaching trial for people diagnosed with dementia .
People newly diagnosed with dementia will have access to coaching and peer support under a University of Sydney trial . Researchers hope the move will help those who receive a diagnosis to process the news , and stay active and involved in their lives and community .
Lead researcher Associate Professor Lee-Fay Low said the coaching has the potential to fill a vital service gap .
“ Following a dementia diagnosis , many people withdraw from their friends and family for fear they will deteriorate quickly and can suffer immense grief or depression ,” Low said .
“ With a cure still some way off , it ’ s essential that we help people with early dementia to live well .”
The Dementia Lifestyle Coach pilot will see participants engage in 14 counselling and coaching sessions from a registered psychologist over a six-month period . They will also have regular phone or Skype catch-ups with a peer supporter who lives with dementia .
One such supporter , retired psychologist Bobby Redman , said she wants to help people see that they can fight back . “ You can ’ t just give into it ,” she said . Redman was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia over two years ago at age 66 . She said while her story isn ’ t common – as her psychology background helped her realise something was wrong – a dementia diagnosis is still a shock for anyone .
“ And what ’ s probably hardest is that , like in my experience , many people with early dementia are just told to come back when things get worse or to get their things in order .
“ But I ’ ve learnt that there are tools and strategies you can put in place to help manage the impact of dementia ,” she added .
“ Even simple things like using my phone to set daily reminders to drink water and stay hydrated .”
Redman would like to see more clinicians trained to provide such strategies to help people overcome simple issues .
The pilot study will run over a 12-month period . The research team will assess the impact the coaching program has on participants ’ mood , independence , activity levels and quality of life . ■
RMIT associate professor Sharath Sriram and Sleeptite ’ s Dungen examine the flexible sensors . Photo : Mark Dadswell
What does your bed say about you ?
Smart bedding fabric to monitor residents ’ health .
What if bedding could tell you about a resident ’ s health ? That ’ s what Australian researchers are exploring as part of a $ 1.7 million government-funded program .
The project team plans to fix flexible , unbreakable electronics into bedding products to enable real-time monitoring of health and sleep and minimise night-time disruption .
It will be designed to give nurses , carers and aged care facility managers greater insight into the health and wellbeing of people in their care by identifying movements or potential areas for concern .
Research and advanced manufacturing company Sleeptite is leading the development of the monitoring program . Also on board are Canadian biometric data specialist Hexoskin , Melbourne-based advanced manufacturer Sleepeezee and RMIT University .
Sleeptite chief executive Cameron van den Dungen said the program ’ s main objective is to put residents and their families at the centre of how care is provided .
“ We are entering a new era for the aged care industry , one where the demand for excellence in functionality , design and care will be higher than ever before ,” Dungen said . “ It is imperative that we look beyond just how aged care is regulated and how homes are styled to how care is provided in the first place .
“ Australia has the chance to become world leaders when it comes to increasing the quality of healthcare provided to its elderly through technology – technology that not only supports the valuable care workers but enables them to provide greater care than they believe is possible , and at a cost that is more affordable than the assistance currently on offer .”
RMIT researcher Associate Professor Madhu Bhaskaran , who is leading the team behind the flexible electronics , said the method is a cost-effective way to improve the supervision and monitoring of people living in aged care and assisted-living facilities , especially at night .
The assistant minister for science , jobs and innovation , Zed Seselja , who announced the grant , visited the university ’ s Micro Nano Research Facility to view the sensors and learn more about the project .
Seselja said he looks forward to seeing the tangible benefits it will bring about for residents , their families , nurses and healthcare staff . ■
2 agedcareinsite . com . au