Alzheimer's Australia Launches $3 Million National Quality Dementia Care Network

Embargoed until Thursday 26th November 2009

Media Release

ALZHEIMER'S AUSTRALIA LAUNCHES $3 MILLION NATIONAL QUALITY DEMENTIA CARE NETWORK

Alzheimer's Australia announced today the establishment of the National Quality Dementia Care Network. The Network is a world first in bringing together researchers and industry and consumers as truly equal partners in dementia care.

The Network will promote collaboration between dementia care researchers, consumers and service providers with the objective of improving the quality of dementia care through the rapid dissemination and uptake of research evidence. Current and future research will be translated into education and training initiatives, policy recommendations and procedures for best practice in dementia care.

The Network will be funded through the generous support of The JO & JR Wicking Trust who granted Alzheimer's Australia $2,075,000 over three years and an additional $810,000 from Bupa a leading international healthcare company with over ten million customers in more than 190 countries and over 52,000 employees around the world.

Glenn Rees, CEO of Alzheimer's Australia said, "The proposal is unique in involving consumers in all aspects of knowledge transfer, from identifying priorities through to involvement in projects and advising on dissemination strategies.

"Alzheimer's Australia had taken the initiative in the development of the proposal because the quality of dementia care in Australia will only improve if there is greater collaboration between consumers and those with a stake in research, service delivery, training and clinical experience."

Teresa Zolnierkiewicz, CEO ANZ Wicking Trust said that, "An important focus of the work of the Trust is to improve the quality of dementia care. Dementia care is an important issue for the 243,000 Australians who have dementia today and the million Australians who care for them in one way or another. The Network is an exciting and important initiative in the portfolio of the Trust's activities."

Professor Brodaty, Director of the Primary Dementia Collaborative Research Centre said that, "The three Dementia Collaborative Research Centres funded by the Federal Government are generating new research evidence on dementia care that would benefit from a conduit for interpretation and dissemination. It is a matter for concern that studies have shown that it could take up to seventeen years for research evidence to reach clinical practice.

"A great deal is now known about what constitutes good dementia care. The problem is to translate this knowledge to care workers and the Network will provide an important and new opportunity for achieving this."

Paul Gregerson, Managing Director of Bupa Care Services Australia said that, "Bupa has a strong commitment to providing quality dementia care through its aged care services, not only in Australia but in the UK, Spain and New Zealand. Bupa has a proud record in promoting research and the Network provided a new and innovative opportunity for ensuring that research findings are translated into practice.

Glenn Rees said, "Those who provide paid and unpaid care will benefit significantly from the work of the Network. A recent report studying the aged care workforce identified that there are currently more than 133,000 direct care employees in residential aged care homes, and more than 87,000 people employed in the community care sector.

"This is a significant number of care workers who require continuous education and training in quality dementia care practice who can contribute a large body of experience to knowledge transfer processes through the community and practice.

"Alzheimer's Australia looks forward to deepening its existing relationships with the three Dementia Collaborative Research Centres and to developing a new partnership with Bupa. It was an exciting opportunity for Alzheimer's Australia as a community based organisation to work with a premier organisation engaged in the provision of residential aged care services"

"Alzheimer's Australia acknowledges the support of the Wicking Trust, not only for being willing to fund the Network, but for the constructive advice provided in the development of the proposal." Glenn Rees said.

The Network is expected to be operation from mid 2010.

For interviews with
Glenn Rees please contact
Josh Rosner on
02 6278 8924 or 0407 232 212.

SOURCE: Alzheimer's Australia