Australia is largely unknown. Determining the prevalence of dementia is important in our bid to close the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous health whilst early diagnosis and intervention of dementia is one of the determinants of health. the collaborative study between Alzheimer's Australia Victoria, Victorian Indigenous communities and the National Ageing Research Institute to modify the Kimberly Indigenous Cognitive Assessment tool for use in Victorian Indigenous communities. Phase one involved forming locally based Indigenous focus groups and collating their feedback on the tool. The tool will assist in the early identification of cognitive impairment, increase awareness of dementia in Indigenous communities and highlight the needs of older Indigenous people. We will demonstrate that building capacity in Aboriginal health workers and having collaborative partnerships with local communities will underpin the efficacy of the tool. have flexibility when assessing their clients' cognitive status, where current tools such as the Mini Mental State Examination, have been shown to have considerable cultural, education and language bias which impairs their application in the Indigenous communities. Adrienne Withall, Christine Metusela, Brian Draper Dementia Collaborative Research Centre Assessment and Better Care, University of New South Wales Onset Dementia study, this presentation considers the role psychosocial life trauma within the dementia experience, and its implications for dementia research and care. Past traumatic life events may fragment one's sense of self or identity. This sense of dis-integration can complicate the meaning- making process surrounding a dementia diagnosis, and of a future of living with dementia. Although not part of the initial study design, participants in the INSPIRED study, including people with dementia and their carers, spontaneously integrated narratives of psychologically traumatic life experiences into study interviews. Specifically, some participants situated dementia causation, symptoms and coping strategies within stories of trauma, and sometimes, within a discourse of transformation and resilience, in a process to make meaning of their conditions. number of people diagnosed with dementia will increase, some of whom have experienced significant traumatic events such as the Vietnam War, refugee experiences, natural disasters, and poverty. Attendance to past trauma, the use of life-history narrative, and a focus on strengths-based approaches may reduce emotional and psychological distress in |