Quality palliative care critical for Australians with dementia
Dementia Australia has today launched a new course on palliative care for health, aged and disability care workers to mark National Palliative Care Week.
The course has been added to the award-winning Ask Annie app which provides on-the-go dementia training designed for care workers.
Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan said the palliative care course is a much-needed way of educating the dementia workforce on the importance of dignity for people living with dementia, aiming to maximise quality of life at all stages.
“Educating the health and aged care workforce about dementia and palliative care will make a critical contribution to improving access to timely and appropriate palliative care for people living with dementia,” Professor Buchanan said.
“It is not just about managing and treating physical symptoms, it is also about supporting the emotional, social, cultural and spiritual aspects of a person’s life whilst also supporting their loved ones.
“This course provides workers with insights into palliative care informed from real-life scenarios, highlighting practical tips and skills to empower a compassionate, palliative approach to dementia care, with an additional focus on culturally diverse care.”
Dementia Australia Dementia Advocate James Chaousis cared for his wife Linda who received palliative care before she passed away from dementia earlier this year and said that compassionate care from care workers made a real difference.
“It is important to uphold the core values and preferences of the person living with dementia,” Mr Chaousis said.
The palliative approach to dementia care course includes four key modules that care workers can explore anytime, anywhere, at their own pace, in short lessons on the mobile app.
The course has been funded thanks to the Fronditha Care Foundation, which focuses on projects that advance delivery of culturally appropriate aged care services for older Australians.
Fronditha Care CEO Faye Spiteri OAM said that culturally appropriate palliative care is central to dignified and respectful dementia care.
“We collaborated with Dementia Australia, to deliver specialised training with a focus on a palliative approach to dementia care, psychosocial support, assessing and managing symptoms through exploring Greek customs around death and dying, Ms Spiteri said.
“By acknowledging and respecting cultural beliefs and individual preferences and embedding practices across the continuum of care, we can better meet the needs of our elders at this stage of life.”
Ask Annie is an interactive app developed to help care professionals to further their knowledge, problem solve and learn on-the-go, developing dementia-specific care skills.
Alongside launching the course, Dementia Australia is also offering more information on dementia and palliative care for care workers in a free webinar Dementia & Palliative Care: Compassionate Pathways at 12pm AEST Thursday 22 May 2025. To learn more and register visit eventbrite.com.au/e/dementia-palliative-care-compassionate-pathways
Ask Annie is free to download for both iOS and Android smartphones through the relevant app stores. Individuals can find out more about Ask Annie at dementia.org.au/professionals/professional-development-and-training/ask-annie or call 1300 DEMENTIA (1300 336 368).
Organisations can purchase a monitoring package of Ask Annie to track the progress and training of their staff. To find out more about purchasing a monitoring package, please contact development@dementia.org.au for further information.
To find out more about The Fronditha Care Foundation and other projects, visit https://frondithacarefoundation.org/
Ask Annie's original platform development was funded by a multi-year Major Grant from Gandel Foundation, with other modules funded by multiple donors including Rosemary Norman Foundation, Insignia Community Foundation, The John & Mary McAlister Howden Charitable Trust and The Lionel & Yvonne Spencer Trust.
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Dementia Australia is the source of trusted information, education and services for the estimated more than 433,300 Australians living with dementia, and the more than 1.7 million people involved in their care. We advocate for positive change and support vital research. We are here to support people impacted by dementia, and to enable them to live as well as possible. No matter how you are impacted by dementia or who you are, we are here for you.
For support, please contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. An interpreter service is available. The National Dementia Helpline is funded by the Australian Government.
Media contact: Catherine McCarthy, Media and Communications Advisor catherine.mccarthy@dementia.org.au 0466 796 201
When talking or writing about dementia please refer to Dementia-Friendly Language Guidelines.
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