Hunter Medicare Local and Newcastle
University
Practice and key success factors of a joint
initiative between Hunter Medicare Local
and Newcastle University, aimed at working
with GPs and Practice Nurses in addressing
the globally identified issue of poor rates of
dementia diagnosis within the Primary Care
setting. Evidence suggests that GPs fail to
identify up to 50% of mild dementia. Early
and timely diagnosis enables access to vital
treatment and intervention strategies that
can ameliorate the impact of the disease, at a
time when the person retains decision making
capacity and can actively participate in future
life planning. Despite growing consumer and
health sector demand for early and timely
diagnosis, screening and diagnosis rates have
not improved over the last 10 to 15 years , .
and extremely underutilised segment of the
Australian health care system. Operating
as Advance Practice Nurses and educated
with Master degrees, these nurses undergo
a rigorous Australian Health Practitioners
Registration Authority endorsement process
to enable best practice diagnosis and
management of Dementia, they may attain
authority to prescribe and provide reimbursable
services under the Medicare Benefits Scheme.
NPs provide high levels of patient care, health
outcomes and satisfaction, on par with GPs .
(Registered Music Therapist) explains how
to run a choir of people with dementia ,
the goals and benefits to the people with
dementia participating in a choir and the
hurdles to look out for when running a
choir. She also defines the difference
between a dementia "choir", as opposed to
a singalong. She describes how conducting
such a choir addresses the following goals of
the 2013 National Alzheimer's conference:
Rehabilitation (encouraging independence
through performing), liberation (allowing
the public (the audiences) to witness the
normality of people (despite having dementia)),
Leisure (the sheer enjoyment of engaging in
music and socialisation), Creativity (the choir
members being able to choose the performing
songs and ways in which to perform them),
Well being (respecting and honouring each
person with dementia as individuals, and
providing opportunities (through performances)
for their significant other to witness them
achieving their goals), and Research: how
Dementia Collaborative Research Centre (Qld)
has researched the positive effects of two
dementia choirs, in the community setting and
in the residential setting.
a choir are musical, Loretta has produced a
CD of musical accompaniments for the choir
setting, of which she will incorporate into this
presentation.