An update from the ISLAND Clinic

Hello from Dr Katharine Salmon (GP) and Associate Professor Jane Alty (neurologist)! We are the Co-Directors of the ISLAND Clinic - the newly established Tasmanian cognitive clinic that opened its doors in March 2021. After a busy first year, we thought it would be a good time to give a brief update on the clinic. 

So, why was the ISLAND Clinic set up in the first place? Well, the main reason is that Tasmania has the highest rates of dementia in Australia but unfortunately many Tasmanians have previously had patchy access to services. Without access to specialist clinics many Tasmanians with cognitive symptoms (such as memory problems) only received a diagnosis of dementia when it was quite advanced. A late diagnosis of dementia is associated with poor quality of life compared to an early diagnosis, and few opportunities to take part in clinical trials. 

At the Wicking Dementia Centre, we wanted to change this – to improve the health of Tasmanians by providing gold-standard clinical assessment and early diagnosis and to offer new opportunities for people with cognitive symptoms to take part in research. Based at the Medical Sciences Precinct on Liverpool Street in Hobart, The ISLAND Clinic now offers a “one-stop” assessment and diagnosis service to any adults who have had at least 3 months of cognitive symptoms. All clinic assessments are Medicare bulk-billed, including an MRI brain scan that is usually arranged to occur the day before clinic, and the clinic accepts GP referrals from all areas of Tasmania. 

So, what actually happens during the clinic, you may be wondering? People attending the clinic have all their key interdisciplinary assessments, and receive a diagnosis and management plan, on the same day. Very few clinics around the world are able to provide this degree of coordination but we purposefully designed it this way so people can leave the clinic with a clear diagnosis. So far, we have assessed over 100 people and received generally very positive feedback. When attending the clinic, people will be assessed by a range of clinicians including a neurologist or geriatrician, a psychologist, a physiotherapist, a GP and a neuro-radiologist, and they will also be invited to take part in research studies if they are interested to do so. People typically arrive in the clinic at about 8.30am and leave at around 2.30pm, with a lunch break in the middle. Post diagnostic management includes active support from GPs and Dementia Australia, and links to the Australian Dementia Network - thus providing Tasmanians with direct access to local and national dementia support and research studies. 

There is more information on the ISLAND Clinic website and in this short video.

Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation Grant Success

A team of researchers from the ISLAND Project and Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre are delighted to have been awarded more that $446,000 from the Royal Hobart Hospital Research Foundation for a three year research project. 

Led by Associate Professors Jane Alty and Lyn Goldberg, the project aims to develop a new mobile phone test that can detect dementia at the earliest stages. Their teams will assess how movements of the hands and mouth can be analysed by new types of computer technologies. This innovative research builds upon the TAS Test computer test that many of you completed in 2021 and we would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for your continued involvement in our research. Jane says "without the support of participants in the ISLAND Project, this research would simply not be possible! It would be wonderful if we can develop a new type of dementia screening test here in Tasmania that can be used around the world".

We hope that you will continue to suport our research - please look out for further TAS Test research invitations later in 2022!

The ISLAND Clinic and I-MED Radiology

I-MED Radiology is proud to support patients of The ISLAND Clinic with easy access to state-of-the-art MRI brain perfusion scans at our clinic at Calvary Hospital in Lenah Valley.  Our team strive to create a warm and comforting environment for all patients, with a strong commitment to delivering high quality and expert care.  When you visit our clinic for a MRI scan we will do everything possible to make your experience as comfortable as possible.

Our specialist neuroradiologist, Dr Jak Ma, works closely with the medical team at The ISLAND Clinic to deliver the best health outcomes for patients. While I-MED Radiology is Australia’s largest diagnostic imaging network, we are also strong believers in connecting locally, through local partnerships like the work that we do with The ISLAND Clinic team.

Our ISLAND Clinic partnership with Dementia Australia

At Dementia Australia, we believe that early planning and support is key to living well. However, we understand that there can be a lot to process. Following a diagnosis at the ISLAND clinic, one of our Dementia Support Specialists will be available to work with you and your family to manage your diagnosis and live well, now and into the future. Some of the ways we can support you is by increasing your understanding of dementia or mild cognitive impairment, plan and access support services, develop personal and lifestyle strategies to enable you to maintain your independence and quality of life, and prepare and plan for any changes. 

We can also help you to access Dementia Australia programs including education sessions, counselling, and family and carer support; and navigate other services available to you, including My Aged Care and the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

To make things easier, you will have a single point of contact who will work alongside you as you navigate your diagnosis. As each person’s experience with dementia or mild cognitive impairment is different, we work with you to understand your specific situation and provide information and support based on what is most important to you. 

Our wonderful clinic volunteers

We gathered recently to say a massive thank you to our wonderful volunteers - Leigh and Pauline. Every week they both go above and beyond to look after our clients, their family members and the clinic team. They are both amazing and we would not be able to offer this service without them. Everyone at the ISLAND team appreciates their time, expertise and kindness very much. 

Invitation to online seminar on Traumatic Brain Injury

Our latest online seminar will focus on traumatic brain injury (TBI).

It is often thought that young males undertaking risky behaviours are the ones who will sustain a traumatic brain injury. However, did you know that falls are a leading cause of all traumatic brain injuries? In fact, there are three age peaks in traumatic brain injury. Children under the age of four, adolescents and young adults, and the third peak is in individuals aged over 65.

Register below for this free online seminar on Wednesday 23 March.

REGISTER TODAY

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.

CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B | ABN 30 764 374 782