background image
115
www.alzheimers2013.com
tHuRsday 16 may
4:30 ­ 5:00Pm
Concert Hall
n
ReseaRch
assistiNg CaRERs OF PEOPlE WitH
dEmENtia tHROugH tHE dEmENtia
EduCatiON FOR CaRERs PROgRam
Rosemary Chapman,
Will clancy
Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre
(CRCC) Nepean, auspiced by ANGLICARE
The presentation aims to raise awareness of the
Dementia Education for Carers Program (DECP),
which helps carers understand the capabilities
of the person with dementia. This is achieved
using a functional cognitive assessment called
the Large Allen Cognitive Level Screening
tool (LACLS). The assessment requires the
participant to follow a demonstration and verbal
instructions of the leather lacing task. The
administrator performs various lacing stitches
with the participant attempting to replicate each
stitch. The person's performance is then scored
with an Allen's Cognitive Level (ACL). Each
level and mode describes patterns of behaviour,
common issues with activities of daily living
and relevant safety issues. The key theme is to
provide carers with insight into how the person
with dementia processes information, and
assist carers by enabling them to maximise the
capabilities of the person they care for.
CRCC is evaluating the DECP to measure
its ability to reduce carer burden. Carers
participating in the evaluation have agreed
to complete the 12-Zarit measure of burden,
in a format of a pre-test and two post tests
(administered one week, and five weeks after
the program). The participants' scores at each
interval are then compared to determine if the
program is having a significant impact on the
burden experienced during their caring role.
The research project is funded by the
Department of Family and Community
Services, Ageing, Disability and Home Care
(ADHC) and conducted by ANGLICARE with
the support of the Dementia Collaborative
Research Centre ­ Assessment and Better
Care (DCRC-ABC).
Chancellor 4
n
ReseaRch 2
a study OF CaRER buRdEN
iN alzHEimER's disEasE aNd
COgNitivE imPaiRmENt FROm tHE
gRamPiaNs Cdams (COgNitiON
dEmENtia aNd mEmORy sERviCE)
CliNiC iN viCtORia.
Dr Vaibhav Tyagi,
a/Prof Mark Yates,
Alison Dalziel, Jack Harvey,
Dr Steve Muhi
The Grampians CDAMS Clinic, Ballarat Health
Services, Ballarat, Victoria
Objectives:
This cross sectional study was primarily to
investigate the caregiver characteristics of
carer gender, relationship with the patient,
living arrangement with the patient and their
association, if any with the carer burden when
caring for people with cognitive impairment.
Participants:
One hundred patient carer dyads reviewed in
the Grampians CDAMS (Cognition Dementia
and Memory service) and diagnosed with
cognitive impairment.
Measurements:
Patient measures: Demographic data
standardized mini mental state examination
(SMMSE), diagnosis type, the number of
behavioural and psychological symptoms of
dementia (BSD) and the bother they caused
to the carer (BPSDC). Carer measures: Carer