Wicking Dementia Centre Newsletter - June 2022

June 2022 Newsletter

Welcome to our June newsletter

Thank you for reading this latest newsletter which presents some of the Wicking Dementia Centre projects that have been funded through donations. While the Wicking Dementia Centre derives income from its formal teaching program and through grants from external organisations, donations have become an important source of income, particularly for developing new research and outreach programs, as well as in extending the reach of free educational programs such as the MOOCs.

We would be grateful if you may consider a donation to the Wicking Dementia Centre to help us continue in our mission to make a difference in the lives of people with dementia and those that care for them.

OUR HIGHLIGHTS

Equip Aged Care Learning Packages

The Wicking Dementia Centre has been awarded the Department of Health Phase 2 Skills Development Program for Aged Care Staff tender to develop a series of FREE short (10-minute) online modules designed for aged care workers, volunteers, and anyone with an interest in aged care, covering a range of aged care related topics.

The ‘Equip Aged Care Learning Packages’ are being developed in consultation with aged care sector experts and lead academics to ensure quality, contemporary content. The first modules will be available in July 2022, and more will be rolled out over the coming 12 months.

Go to our website to express an interest in these modules.

LEARN MORE

OUR EDUCATION

Understanding Dementia MOOC

Are you considering university study?

This is the final opportunity to take the Understanding Dementia MOOC in 2022. The course opens on 5 July, and you can enrol today.

Our FREE online course addresses this major public health issue drawing upon the expertise of neuroscientists, clinicians and dementia care professionals.

ENROL TODAY

We offer a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses which are fully online and can be studied full-time or part-time.

Semester 2 starts on 11 July so there is still time for you to apply for your chosen course.

APPLY TODAY

OUR SUPPORT

How our donation appeal helps researchers

How can you help?

Our successful donation appeal in 2021 gave our researchers the opportunity to apply for small grants to assist with their current research or go towards community engagement.

A range of projects were submitted for funding with the successful recipients hoping to meet with our 2021 appeal family later this month.

OUR RESEARCH

Your support is desperately needed to maximise quality of life for those with dementia, support their families and caregivers, and educate all of us about how simple lifestyle changes could prevent 40% of dementia cases.

Make your tax-deductible gift now.

DONATE HERE

OUR RESEARCH

A taste of the many research areas covered

The research topics submitted for funding assistance from our 2021 donation appeal were far-reaching and covered community involvement and lab-based projects. The successful projects are listed below:

Course content dedicated to dementia in Indigenous peoples in the Wicking Centres online Dementia Care Degree Program – to be developed in consultation with Indigenous communities.
Development of an Advisory Group to promote research to establish a dementia risk profile in Afghan refugees and asylum seekers in Tasmania – to develop a culturally appropriate approach to providing information aimed at reducing dementia risk in refugee populations.
“Now this is an exciting project!”: Exciting tools to excite neurons will excite students – supporting our PhD students in new innovative research to develop human cell models of neurodegenerative disease.
Laughter ISLAND: Using comedy to promote brain health and dementia risk reduction behaviours – a workshop to use comedy as a vehicle to enhance community communication.
Sniffing out Dementia: Olfactory dysfunction in an ‘at risk’ group of older Tasmanians – linking with the ISLAND Project sleep study.
Facilitating medical health practitioners to discuss and diagnose dementia within Tasmanian minority ethnic communities – creating opportunities to strengthen partnerships and collaboration with community members.
Microglial phenotypes as a risk factor for dementia – how we can begin to decipher and reprogram the immune cells of the brain to improve outcomes.

OUR RESEARCH

OUR COMMUNITY

Ask Annie app with dementia ‘micro-lessons’ to support care workers

Understanding Multiple Sclerosis Online Course

With the support of Gandel Foundation, Ask Annie is a mobile app that offers short, self-paced learning modules to help care workers in residential and community aged care settings refresh their skills and learn tips and strategies to provide better care to people living with dementia.

‘Annie’ is a virtual care worker providing support to a person living with dementia. She guides users through a range of scenarios to strengthen their dementia care skills. 

The app is now available for download with three introductory modules gifted to support the aged care sector.

Ask Annie is a convenient training tool that can be used anywhere, anytime by care workers across the sector.

Ask Annie has been developed by Dementia Australia.

Understanding Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a free online course available to people worldwide that aims to improve understanding and awareness of MS. This dynamic course is delivered via a series of videos featuring MS experts and people living with MS, and includes quizzes, activities, and discussions.

The next course starts on 12 September, so enrol today.

This course was developed by the Menzies Institute for Medical Research in partnership with Multiple Sclerosis Limited and in collaboration with the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre.

LEARN MORE

Stay connected:

utas.edu.au/wicking

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