ISLAND Newsletter - Special Edition - The ISLAND Clinic Launch - March 2021 View in browser  |  Print
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Welcome to this special edition of the ISLAND Project newsletter.  On 22 February 2021, the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre launched the new Tasmanian Dementia and Cognition Clinic (The ISLAND Clinic).  The clinic will see Tasmanians, who have been referred by their General Practitioner, for assessment of their cognitive function.

The Clinic team comprises a range of health professionals including geriatricians, neurologists, GP's, neuropsychologist, psychologist, nurse practitioners and physiotherapist. The clinicians will work closely with other health providers, including iMed for state of the art imaging.

The Clinic is set to see its first patients on 3 March, 2021 and patients will receive a comprehensive assessment of their memory and thinking concerns. If required, a detailed management plan discussing disease modifying options, and other advice and support will be provided to the patient's GP. Access to Dementia Australia representatives will be made available for any advice on services and supports needed.

The ISLAND Clinic provides opportunities for patients to participate in research, which is voluntary. This research can help us to learn more about dementia, its diagnosis and treatment, which will benefit current and future generations.

For more information, click on this link for a video.

ISLAND Clinic Website

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Tasmania's first multidisciplinary memory and cognition clinic opens

The Tasmanian Dementia and Cognition Clinic (The ISLAND Clinic) is a multidisciplinary centre, which will offer a range of medical and allied health professionals to help assist people who are experiencing difficulties related to their memory or changes in other areas of brain function.  

People who have concerns with their memory or other areas of brain function, or are worried about the changes in these areas of loved one, can request a referral from a GP to access the clinic. 

The clinic is part of the ISLAND Project, run by the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre and will be based in Hobart and offer state-wide consultations.  

The clinic is the first of its kind for the state in providing a multidisciplinary accessible service which can help with the potential diagnosis of dementia and related conditions.   

The clinic will also provide an invaluable opportunity to expand clinical research capacity associated with memory related conditions, such as dementia. The research conducted will also be linked to the National Health and Medical Research Council-funded Australian Dementia Network (ADNet) and will provide new information about the care experiences of people with dementia. Local research will also include new methods to diagnose dementia in its earliest stages. 

 

Meet our ISLAND Clinic team - Geriatricians

We’re Dr Alison Cleary and Dr Madeleine Beaumont, the two geriatricians who will be working as part of the team in the ISLAND Clinic.  As geriatricians, we provide specialised medical care for older adults.  We both qualified as medical doctors at the University of Tasmania and then specialised in the health care needs of older people.

As we get older, some of us may develop special medical needs that arise from natural aging, a range of health issues and an increasing need for social support.  We may also become more sensitive to the effects of medication, less mobile and fall more often.  Sometimes these changes can be significant enough that they need to be assessed and managed by a doctor who has specialised training in the needs of older people.  We tend to work with a team of health professionals including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, nurses and social workers and integrate collaborate with general practitioners to ensure that our patients are safe and best supported in their situation, whatever that may be.  

Geriatricians see people over the age of 65, but we can see anyone who is experiencing issues that are making life more complicated or more challenging on a day to day basis.  During your appointment with a geriatrician you will be asked about a range of practical and functional matters, starting with medical history, life events, home situation, legal affairs, mobility, medications, and memory.  We will also ask about your day to day life and how you are coping at home.

We focus on quality of life, maintaining independence and we hope our patients remain independent and living in their own homes for as long as possible.  At the ISLAND Clinic we are looking forward to working with many other doctors, psychologists, nurses and a physiotherapist to recommend the best support for our patients and their carers.

Memory Walk and Jog 2021

The Memory Walk and Jog is back in 2021 - a fundraiser for Dementia Australia, which provides support and resources to people living with dementia and their carers, families and friends.

This year's event will be in Hobart on Saturday 13 March, at the Regatta Grounds.  It's a great opportunity for people impacted by dementia to walk, jog or run to raise money, share stories and come away knowing they are not alone.

Further information and registrations can be found at www.memorywalk.com.au

ISLAND Project Partners

The University of Tasmania received funding from the Australian Government. Views and conclusions expressed in this publication are those of its authors, and may not be the same as those held by the Department of Health.

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