| MARCH 2023 NEWSLETTER |
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Welcome to our March newsletter!
Today is an exciting day for the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, as we officially launch the Equip Aged Care Learning Packages which are FREE to all, each module takes only 10 mins to complete and are accessible online, at anytime and anywhere. Over the last few months, we have been rolling out this new online education package that has been created as a useful resource for aged care workers to keep abreast of current trends in aged care. These FREE packages will assist new starters in the aged care workforce and those seeking employment in the sector, the opportunity to gain essential knowledge to assist them to launch into their career in aged care. The free learning modules that we have created are also of benefit for volunteers, informal carers, and anyone with an interest in the care of older people. Each 10-minute module highlights key concepts of each topic, with the content designed to ignite learners' interest, consolidate key learning points and encourage participants to continue their learning by accessing curated further learning and additional resource links contained within each module.
The Equip Aged Care Learning Packages are comprised of fourteen modules, nine of these modules are released today and the remaining five modules will be available in the coming weeks.
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Equip Modules:
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The content in each module has been developed in close collaboration with academic and other subject matter experts, peak bodies, and expert advisory groups to ensure it reflects contemporary practice and meets the needs of learners. I encourage you to enrol today.
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| OUR HIGHLIGHTS |
Netherlands Australian Chamber of Commerce
In January this year Professor James Vickers met representatives from the Netherlands Chamber of Commerce (Tasmania), who were winding up their local organisation and decided to donate the balance of their funds to the Wicking Dementia Centre. This was a generous gesture, and the funds will go towards supporting a PhD student with their studies and research. Freddie Von Schmidt, Kevin Morgan and John Beard have been active supporters of the Wicking Dementia Centre for many years and in particular into the research into motor neuron disease. Thank you for your support and for the generous donation that will assist the future endeavors of a Wicking Dementia Centre PhD student.
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Guest Presenter: Carol Brayne CBE
Professor Carol Brayne visited the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre last month and provided an overview of population-based studies of dementia and updates from the UK to the staff and students. Professor Brayne is a medically qualified epidemiologist and public health academic. Her main research has been longitudinal studies of older people following changes over time with a public health perspective and focus on the brain. Professor Brayne is lead principal investigator for the Medical Research Council, Cognitive Function and Ageing Studies and other population-based studies and has played a lead role in teaching and training in epidemiology and public health at Cambridge University.
A fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences, Carol was listed among the highest cited scholars in the world across all disciplines in 2018 and awarded a CBE for services to public health medicine in the Queen’s 2017 Honours. Click here to read more about Professor Brayne and her research.
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Guest Presenter: Katerina Sheardova MD PhD
Dr. Katerina Sheardova is a Medical Director and co-founder of the Czech Brain Aging Study, based at the International Clinical Research Centre at St. Anne’s University Hospital in Brno. Dr Sheardova visited the Wicking Dementia Centre in February and provided the staff and students with an update on the Czech Brain Ageing Study (CBAS). CBAS is a longitudinal, observational study on aging and dementia from two large centers in the Czech Republic combining clinical care and clinical research. CBAS is about to become the largest study to study risk factors for Alzheimer disease in Central and Eastern Europe. To read more about the work of Dr Sheardova and the CBAS study click here.
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Fundraising to help the community
The Wicking Dementia Centre would like to thank one of our youngest supporters, Cherry for their hard work and dedication to helping others and raising valuable funds to assist others.
Cherry and her family have been raising funds in memory of her Nanna; Dilys Ketley. Cherry knows how important fundraising is to the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, and to help she has been baking gingerbread houses to raffle as well as biscuits and slices to sell at her local community market. Cherry's fundraising has gone directly into supporting the Wicking Dementia Centre’s education and research programs.
Cherry’s hard work and dedication to fundraising has helped many other important causes including Dementia Australia, RSPCA, Indigenous Literacy Foundation, Domestic Violence Crisis Service, and she participates in the Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever Fundraiser. Her creation of the fundraising stalls has been all Cherry’s own idea to help raise funds for Australian Charities. This year Cherry will cut her hair short to raise funds for a charity and donate her hair to wig making for someone in need.
Cherry and her family are also working with Dementia Australia and Dance for Well-Being to fund a dance class (from Dilys Ketley’s estate) for people with dementia and their carers called Spark. Thank you to Cherry and her family for their fantastic efforts! The money they have raised will make a big difference to those living with dementia and their carers.
Every donation that we receive helps us deliver free accessible dementia education globally and improve the lives of those living with dementia, if you would like to donate, please click here. |
| OUR EDUCATION - Wicking Dementia Centre MOOCs |
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FREE Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury MOOC - Course Starts 27 March 2023 - Enrol Now | FREE Preventing Dementia MOOC – Course Starts 16 May 2023 – Enrol Now |
Did you know that a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can occur if you are involved in a car accident, have a fall, a physical altercation or from a sporting accident? TBI is often referred to as a silent epidemic with more than 69 million people globally sustaining a TBI every year. This is likely to be an underestimate as often those who sustain a mild TBI (concussion) do not seek medical treatment and therefore not included in reports. This online course aims to raise awareness and build knowledge to reduce risk, as well as improve management and rehabilitation outcomes for people who have experienced a TBI. The course is accessible and suitable for anyone with a personal or professional interest in learning more about traumatic brain injury. ENROL TODAY | The Preventing Dementia MOOC is suited to everyone - whether you are an individual with an interest in brain health and/or dementia risk reduction, or an allied health professional, clinician, aged care service provider or health policy professional - this course is designed to be accessible and appealing to all. The Preventing Dementia MOOC investigates the best available evidence about dementia prevention, drawing on a range of expertise from around the globe. The course is accessible and suitable for anyone with a personal or professional interest in learning more about dementia.
Our latest Preventing Dementia MOOC opens on 16 May 2023 ENROL TODAY |
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| OUR COMMUNITY |
Understanding Multiple Sclerosis MOOC
Understanding Multiple Sclerosis (MS) - March 2023
Understanding Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a free online course that is available to people worldwide and aims to improve understanding and awareness of MS. Members of the public will increase their knowledge of MS-related issues and those in the MS Community will be empowered to create and contribute to personalised MS management plans. 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 in March and is still taking enrolments, so join today.
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| OUR RESEARCH |
Relationship between dementia knowledge and occupational strain
Working with people living with dementia in residential facilities for older adults can be challenging. This challenge is increased when staff have a limited understanding of dementia. This study undertook a survey of 141 staff in three Australian residential facilities. The study looked at participants’ knowledge of dementia and the relationship between this knowledge and strain in caring for people living with dementia. It was found that staff had gaps in their knowledge of dementia and that staff with higher knowledge experienced higher levels of strain. This was particularly the case for strain related to feeling that residents were not receiving appropriate care from colleagues. This suggests that dementia education across the whole-of-organisation is needed to address knowledge gaps, supported by helping staff to put their knowledge into practice to improve care. This study was recently published in Ageing International. For more information see; Lea, E, Robinson, A., & Doherty, K. (2023). Relationship between dementia knowledge and occupational strain among staff of residential facilities for older adults: A cross-sectional survey.
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| RESEARCH STUDIES FROM OUR COLLABORATORS |
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Abdeljalil Lahiouel and Dr Nathan D’Cunha from the University of Canberra are currently looking for assistance with a research project on understanding the nutrition-related issues faced by unpaid carers of people living with dementia in the community and their preferred method of delivery of nutrition education programs. Why participate?
- Taking part in this study will provide participants with the opportunity to share their knowledge and experiences regarding nutrition and caring for someone with dementia.
- After completing the survey, participants will receive their results on their nutritional knowledge.
- Participating in this research will allow carers who complete the survey to enter a prize draw for one of fifteen $30 gift cards to Coles or Woolworths.
Who can participate? - Any unpaid carer of a person living with dementia in the community throughout Australia is invited to participate to an online survey.
- Participation in this survey will help us learn more about your perceptions and your care experiences, to inform future educational needs, possible solutions and care options.
The survey will take 20 to 30 minutes to complete. Please note that all your responses will be kept confidential. To complete the survey please click here: Nutrition Survey for Carers Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser: https://uoc.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2ui2jYAOEe85hSS All participants have the option to receive their results about their nutrition knowledge. Thank you for your time and effort. If you have any questions, please email me at u3148325@uni.canberra.edu.au or Dr Nathan D’Cunha at nathan.dcunha@canberra.edu.au or call 02 6206 8585.
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Stay connected:
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utas.edu.au/wicking
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