for Rural International Initiatives in Dementia
(GRIID) was formed as a result of a panel
symposium at the 2011 Alzheimer's Disease
international Conference in Toronto.
key features of the GRIID Project and report
on the interim research findings of a recently
completed worldwide survey disseminated
through Alzheimer's Disease International
73 member countries. The findings highlight
perceived demand and benefits of having a
web based platform to connect rural dementia
best practice initiatives and research.
School of Nursing, Dementia Collaborative
Research Centre: Carers and Consumers,
Queensland University of Technology
Dr Catherine Travers
Queensland Dementia Training Study Centre,
Queensland University of Technology
Dr Melinda Martin-Khan
Centre for Research in Geriatric Medicine, The
University of Queensland
Ms Jenni Marshall
RSL Care, Queensland
Dr elaine Fielding
School of Nursing, Queensland University of
Technology
Key project aims were to profile the dementia
workforce, ascertain staff attitudes towards
dementia and their levels of confidence in
caring for people with dementia and identify
undertaken. A brief online survey was widely
disseminated to healthcare professionals in
Queensland in 2012.
This presentation will describe the project
aims, methods, results and conclusions.
Implications for workforce dementia education/
training will also be discussed.
Briefly, 524 surveys were completed from
respondents working in a range of care
settings across the State. Respondents
were predominantly female (94.1%); and
most were registered nurses (60%), aged
between 41 and 60 years (65.6%). Most
(76.1%) regularly worked with older people and
around 40% regularly worked with people with
dementia. A high level of confidence in caring
for people with dementia was reported and
most respondents (67%) had participated in a
dementia education/training activity in the past
12 months.
and community care settings versus other
settings), more time spent working with people
with dementia, and age group (41-60 years)
were significantly associated with greater self-
confidence in caring for people with dementia.
Participation in a dementia education/training
activity in the past 12 months was significantly
predictive of more positive attitudes towards
people with dementia.
These results indicate the demand for
ongoing dementia education is high amongst
Queensland healthcare professionals and
confirm the importance of dementia education
activities in fostering positive attitudes and
care practices towards people with dementia.