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Large-scale training in the essentials of dementia care in Australia: Dementia Care Skills for Aged Care Workers project

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2009

Richard Fleming  and
Diana FitzGerald
Richard Fleming*
Affiliation:
Dementia Services Development Centre, Hammond Care, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Diana FitzGerald
Affiliation:
Education Services, Alzheimer's Australia, Victoria, Australia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Richard Fleming, Director, Dementia Services Development Centre, Hammond Care, Judd Avenue, Hammondville NSW 2170, Australia. Phone: +61 2 8295 0380; Fax: + 61 2 9825 1044. Email: RFleming@hammond.com.au.
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Abstract

Dementia has been identified as a national health priority in Australia. National programs in the areas of research, education and training have been established. The Dementia Care Skills for Aged Care Workers program is a three-year project that commenced in 2006. It has the goal of providing training in the essentials of dementia care to 17,000 staff of aged care services across Australia. Successful completion of the training results in the award of a nationally recognized qualification. Although the delivery of the training has been difficult in some areas – because of the long distances to be covered by trainers and trainees, a wide range of cultural backgrounds, and difficulties in finding staff to cover for people attending the training – the seven training organizations providing this training are on target to meet the goal. The project is being evaluated independently. The anecdotal reports available to date strongly suggest that the training is being well received and is making a difference to practice.

A surprisingly large proportion of attendees (9%) have been registered nurses, which demonstrates the need among this group of staff for training in the care of people with dementia.

Keywords

dementia trainingaged care
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 21 , Supplement S1: International perspectives on dementia education, training and knowledge transfer , April 2009 , pp. S53 - S57
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2009

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