The Specialist Dementia Care Program now taking referrals

The Specialist Dementia Care Program (the Program) is currently open to receive referrals from GPs.

The Program supports people with severe behavioural or psychological symptoms of dementia and is intended to stabilise or improve their symptoms to the degree they can transition to a mainstream setting.

The Australian Government is establishing a national network of units under the Program, with at least one unit to be established in each of the 31 Primary Health Network regions.

Presently, the three Program units in Queensland all have vacancies and are ready to receive referrals. Referrals can be made from outside the Primary Health Network region where the unit is located.

Primary Health Network region	Provider
Brisbane South	Alzheimer’s Association of Queensland Inc, Garden City Aged Care Service 47 Tryon Street, Upper Mt Gravatt
Brisbane North	Corp. of the Synod of Brisbane, St Martin’s Nursing Home 304 Roghan Road, Taigum
North Queensland	Good Shepherd Lodge Ltd, Good Shepherd Lodge McIntyre Street, East Mackay

More information about the Program

• The Specialist Dementia Care Program provides a person-centred, multidisciplinary approach to care for people exhibiting very severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia whose behaviours may put themselves or others at risk or otherwise mean they are unable to be appropriately cared for by mainstream aged care services. The program offers transitionary care so as to reduce or stabilise symptoms and enable people to move to less intensive care settings. The average length of stay in the Program is expected to be around one year.
• The prototype unit opened in Inglewood, Perth in September 2019. Between January and August this year, nine additional units have opened across Australia, including three units in Queensland.
• Referrals can now be made to all three Queensland Specialist Dementia Care Program units listed above.
• There are specific eligibility requirements for referral to the program. The person will generally display very severe behaviours and symptoms as a result of dementia; these are generally classified as Tier 6 in the Brodaty et al model. Symptoms may include aggression, severe agitation, vocalisation, and severe depression and/or anxiety and suicidality as a result of dementia. Additionally, the person’s behaviours have not improved following implementation of behaviour management strategies.

Resources

• To refer someone to be assessed for the program, please visit Dementia Support Australia
• For more information on the program, please visit the Department of Health

If you have any questions please email SDCP@health.gov.au