| SEPTEMBER 2024 NEWSLETTER |  |
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Message from Distinguished Professor James Vickers
September is globally designated as ‘World Alzheimer’s Month’ and includes campaigns by both the international peak body, Alzheimer’s Disease International, as well as Australia’s peak organisation, Dementia Australia, to lift awareness of dementia and tackle the stigma that is still associated with this condition. While dementia has impacts all year long, September does represent an opportunity to pause and consider how we can improve the quality of care for people with dementia, how we can support carers and the aged care workforce and make our communities more inclusive of people with dementia.
A key factor here is how we can work together to advance the rights of people with dementia. We see our educational programs as a way of partnering with people in the community to build awareness and positive action for people with dementia. In this newsletter, we are also pleased to report on our partnership with Dementia Support Australia on a new project with a specific focus on supporting the workforce and wider community who are involved in providing dementia respite services. In this regard, we are grateful for financial support from the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care for funding the ‘Dementia Respite Education And Mentoring’ (DREAM) project to improve the dementia respite experience and support both people with dementia and their carers to live well in the community.
| | DREAM Project | 
Officially Launched
The Dementia Respite Education and Mentoring Project (DREAM), a new initiative in dementia respite care, was officially launched on Tuesday 30 July 2024 by the Hon Ged Kearney MP, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care. The highlight of the event was a conversation between Steve Wright, a family carer, with Marie Alford, Head of Dementia Support Australia (DSA). Those at the launch were moved by the account from Steve as he shared the need for and importance of quality respite care to support him while he cared for his wife, Di. The DREAM Project has been funded by the Australian Government and developed by the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre in collaboration with Dementia Support Australia. DREAM is free and includes personalised mentoring from Dementia Support Coaches, the opportunity to engage with peers and experts in the Community of Practice, and five new specialised educational modules on dementia respite care. We have worked with the aged care sector, consumers, and researchers to identify these five key dementia respite topics. The DREAM project's official launch was a national event, attended both online and in-person by numerous individuals including the project team, coaches, DSA staff, and Wicking Dementia Staff, all uniting to commemorate this milestone. A video of the event is available – click here.
For over a decade, the Wicking Dementia Centre has been at the forefront of creating free, world-renowned educational resources, these include the EQUIP Aged Care Learning Packages and the widely recognised Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on Understanding Dementia, Preventing Dementia, and Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury.
The DREAM Project is tailored for anyone interested in dementia respite care, whether on a professional or personal level. I encourage you to explore these resources and consider how they might benefit your practice or support your understanding of dementia care. Please feel free to share this information with your network to help spread the word about this valuable project. DREAM PROJECT
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| Wicking Dementia Centre Alumni | 
August 2024 Graduation
Tuesday 27 August 2024 was Graduation Day for students of the Diploma, Bachelor, and Master of Dementia. This was an opportunity to come together and celebrate their achievements, highlighting each student's dedication and hard work that they each invested in developing their expertise across the field of dementia. The visit to the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre added a special touch, as it allowed graduates to connect with their lecturers and other students. The sense of community and shared purpose among graduates and Centre staff created an uplifting atmosphere, making the day unforgettable. It was a celebration of academic success, personal growth, and a collective commitment to enhancing the lives of those living with dementia. Our graduates are great ambassadors for the Centre and are also our partners in seeking to make a difference for the care and welfare of people with dementia out in the community. Every cohort of graduates is a step forward in improving the world for people with dementia!
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Alumni Event
On Tuesday 27 August 2024, Associate Professor Alison Canty and Professor James Vickers hosted a Wicking Dementia Centre Alumni event in Hobart. This event was held the night prior to the August Graduation Ceremony and allowed current graduates to meet with Wicking Centre alumni. This event was an excellent chance for our Hobart-based alumni to connect and network. It also served as a valuable opportunity to meet the newest graduates. All Wicking Dementia Centre Alumni are welcome to share their story to inspire others, we would love to hear from you, just click on the below link. Alumni - Share Your Story Here
| | New MOOCs Coming in 2025! | 
Parkinson's Disease and MND MOOCs
The Wicking Dementia Research and Dementia Centre are excited to announce the development of two new Massive Open Online Courses that will be available worldwide for free in early 2025. - Parkinson's Disease MOOC
- Motor Neurone Disease MOOC
The Parkinson’s Disease MOOC is being developed in collaboration with the Menzies Institute for Medical Research. These two courses will complement the three MOOCs that are currently available. These free courses are designed to provide comprehensive information on the disease, including its symptoms, treatments, research and care strategies. Over the coming weeks more information shall be made available about their launch date.
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FREE Understanding Multiple Sclerosis MOOC | FREE Preventing Dementia MOOC |
Understanding Multiple Sclerosis (MS) us a is a free online course, developed by the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, 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 6-week course is delivered via a series of videos featuring MS experts and people living with MS, and includes quizzes, activities and discussions.
Course opens on 9 September 2024. ENROL TODAY | The Preventing Dementia MOOC is a free online course, developed and taught by the Wicking Dementia Centre. The course is ideal for ANYONE who wants to learn about preventing dementia and the modifiable risk factors for dementia. Dementia has a profound impact on individuals, families and communities, and the number of people with dementia across the world increases every year as our global population ages. Knowledge is the key to understanding prevention. Learn at your own pace, anytime and anywhere. Course opens October 2024
ENROL TODAY |
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| Carer Conversations | 
Dementia Support Australia and the Australian Frontotemporal Dementia Association (AFTDA) are working in partnership to develop and run a nationwide network of support groups called Carer Conversations. Carer Conversations are face to face or online support groups for carers who are supporting someone with frontotemporal dementia. The groups provide an opportunity for you to meet, share and learn with other carers in a supportive environment. Each group is facilitated and supported by health professionals with expertise in FTD, as well as specific tailored advice on behaviour changes from consultants from Dementia Support Australia. The service is completely free.
Carer Conversations are keen to receive expressions of interest from FTD carers now so that planning for the groups can advance. Please pass the word and encourage carers to register their interest using this link. https://aftda.org.au/index.php/carer-support/ - Phone: 1800 699 799
- Email: carerconvos@dementia.com.au
| | Research | 
In August, James Brady and Dr Eddy Roccati of the Wicking Dementia Centre participated in the Alzheimer's Association International Conference (AAIC) in Philadelphia, USA. Both James and Eddy presented their work, and the Wicking Centre was prominently featured across various interdisciplinary fields. The following is a list of the abstracts that were presented:
| | Annual Wicking Appeal | 
The 2024 annual appeal is just around the corner! We need your help to continue the vital work of the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre. Why Your Support Matters: Your generous contributions in 2023 have enabled us to continue to offer our Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) at no cost to participants and supported our world class research. How You Can Help: - Spread the Word: Share our mission with colleagues, friends and family who might be interested in supporting our cause.
- Stay Tuned: Look out for more details in the coming weeks on how you can contribute and make a difference.
We are incredibly grateful for your continued support and look forward to another successful appeal season. Together, we can achieve great things! Wicking Appeal
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Stay connected:
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utas.edu.au/wicking
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