Delivering dementia care support via screens

Dr Kate Laver, researcher at Flinders University and recently awarded a Dementia Research Development Fellowship, will use telehealth technologies to bring the interventions for people with dementia into their homes.

According to Dr Laver around 85 percent of people with dementia have mild to moderate symptoms with some 70 percent living in the community, relying on help from family and friends to remain in their homes.

“My project looks at implementing education and support for carers that has been shown both to improve the carer’s wellbeing and also delay functional decline in the person with dementia,” Dr Laver says.

Despite numerous programs being shown to be effective in trials, access to the programs is an issue, particularly in remote areas. Around 30 percent of people with dementia in Australia are estimated to live outside the major capital cities.

“Typically these programs are delivered over five to 10 sessions and take place in the home, so they are very expensive and resource intensive to deliver,” Dr Laver explains.

“This project looks at supporting those people to remain at home, and supporting their caregivers.”

The research will employ a structured, seven-part assessment and support program called COPE, which assesses problems and priorities and then educates carers about the range of behaviour associated with dementia symptoms, as well as offering communication and environmental strategies to assist with care.

The program also seeks to engage the person with dementia in activities, while providing counselling and relaxation for the caregiver.

“Each situation is unique,” Dr Laver says, “It’s a matter of problem-solving and working things through together.

“We already know from trials that this approach works in homes; my research will test whether it’s similarly effective if you deliver it using telehealth technologies.”

Technology would also enable the use of highly specialised personnel who can be trained and located centrally, avoiding duplication across regional health services.

“The best thing you can really do is support the caregiver to provide the best care and to manage the symptoms, support them to cope, and teach them strategies to manage the stresses associated with caring,” Dr Laver says.