Engage a respected Aboriginal artist with
community development experience to create
three murals with staff and eighteen Aboriginal
residents and families at a RACF in Perth WA.
1. Involve Aboriginal residents and their
culturally appropriate pieces of communal
art.
Aboriginal residents connect to their cultural
heritage with pride and pleasure. Challenges to
culturally appropriate care include: the need to
address `shame'; Aboriginal staff prioritisation of
cultural and work expectations; and negotiating
differences in communication styles.
needs, feelings and choices. For many people
with dementia, language impairment can
prevent this which can lead to expressions of ill
being; anger and frustration.
communication aid for people who experience
word finding difficulties, Alzheimer's Australia
WA developed CommunicAid; an easy to use,
low tech, low cost age appropriate tool designed
to support and enable people with dementia to
make individual choices and decisions.
adaptable and appropriate for people with
expressive language difficulties from a wide
CommunicAid increased well being, and
strengthened relationships between staff
member, carers and staff. A person with his/
her individual CommunicAid was able to make
their needs, choices and decisions known to
others.
the CommunicAid project, and show how the
use of an augmentative communication aid
can empower and support people living with
dementia, contributing to their well being and
of those around them.
Clinical Services Coordinator (South) -
Alzheimer's Australia Tasmania
Sharon Lovell
Respite Manager, The Old Vicarage,
Alzheimer's Australia Tasmania
interview format, involving the Respite
Manager and a family carer who has utilised
the Old Vicarage Respite House.
have opportunities to use their enduring skills
and develop new skills to contribute to the
wellbeing of all clients who participate in day
clubs and overnight respite. Social engagement
of clients through activity that is meaningful,
purposeful and failure-free, is facilitated by
supportive staff who value fun and pleasure
as keys to their interaction. Clients' past
experiences are woven into their present,
playing a critical role in their engagement by
directing daily activities.