cultural connections gardening across the seasons project · 2020-05-01 · partner alzheimer‘s...
TRANSCRIPT
September 2013 Issue 15
Cultural Connections Gardening Across the Seasons Project Tastes To Remember Driving and Dementia
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Doing what we can to reduce our risk of dementia and improve our brain health is important for everyone in the Australian community. Improving your brain health can be as simple as starting a painting, dancing or language class or going for a daily walk with a friend – it‘s never too early or too late to build upon your brain health. In Victoria 20% of the population speaks a language other than English at home. As part of our ongoing commitment to making information accessible to people from non-English speaking backgrounds, Alzheimer's Australia is working with culturally and linguistically diverse groups to develop appropriate materials. Alzheimer‘s Australia‘s ‗Your Brain Matters‘ program has produced Dementia Risk Reduction Bilingual Help Sheets that provide information in English as well as 22 other languages. They can be found at http://www.yourbrainmatters.org.au/resources/bilingual-tip-sheets
In March, Alzheimer‘s Australia launched a series of Community Services Announcements on commercial television networks and in cinemas across Australia. Screened over several weeks, these advertisements urged Australians to take up brain healthy activities which could include anything from riding a bike, swinging a bat, getting their blood pressure checked or doing a dance ... at their desks! In the coming months these Community Service Announcements will be screening at a number of multicultural film festivals across Australia. Alzheimer‘s Australia‘s ‗Your Brain Matters‘ program will continue to work with culturally and linguistically diverse communities to ensure that our information is available to the broader community. Your Brain Matters is supported by funding from the
Australian Government under the Chronic Disease
Prevention and Service Improvement Fund.
Your Brain Matters…
In YOUR language
Alzheimer’s Australia Vic Diversity News 1
Cultural Connections
Gardening Across The Seasons Project
The ―Cultural Connections – Gardening Across the Seasons Project‖ was created by Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) to support the active ageing of older people from culturally diverse backgrounds living with dementia through gardening. Ten people with the early stages of dementia participated in the project. They were joined by and eight students from Parade College. The Department of Health and Ageing funded the project during which project partner Alzheimer‘s Australia Vic presented a number of formal and informal dementia information sessions. Apart from gaining gardening knowledge, the students gained insight into some of the older partici-pants‘ life stories and cultures as well as being shown that people living with dementia can still possess skills and knowledge. The project is funded by the Department of Health and Ageing and run in collaboration between Spectrum MRC, Parade College and Alzheimer‘s Australia Vic. Once our current funding for 2013 expires, we hope to secure additional funding to sustain the project in the long term. For more information please contact Louise Cicero on (03) 9480 2877 or email: [email protected]
“Fresh from the garden to the table, fresher than the supermarket’’
‗Tastes to Remember‘ is a partnership strategy that brings together several service providers and community leaders from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds to plan and host informal dementia awareness events centred on group discussion and food. This initiative aims to provide information and service pathways to ensure that consumers from CALD backgrounds have access to tailored and timely support services, through building sustainable relationships with key CALD communities. Uniting Care Community Options (UCCO) has received funding from the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) to provide a dementia education project for CALD communities in the Eastern Metropolitan Region. This years‘ event was held in Box Hill Town Hall on June 5, in partnership with the Migrant Information Centre and Alzheimer‘s Australia Vic. Over 80 seniors from Vietnamese, Lao, Iranian, Egyptian Coptic, Russian and Chinese community groups attended.
Since the event, many community leaders have expressed an interest in learning more about dementia and follow up sessions are currently being planned. These sessions will be delivered with the assistance of interpreters. For more information please email Janice Parfitt on [email protected].
Tastes To Remember
There is a growing need to expand access to dementia information and services to support people from CALD backgrounds. Alzheimer‘s Australia Vic continues to work in partnership with Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre (MRC) in raising community awareness about dementia and the support services available. On 22 May, Jack Sach, General Manager, Strategic Initiatives at Alzheimer‘s Australia Vic welcomed a Bhutanese community group to our Hawthorn premises where an information session was hosted. Alzheimer‘s Australia Vic‘s Amelia Suckling, CALD Community Facilitator and Grace Roberto, Multicultural Officer, delivered the session entitled ―8 Things You Need To Know About Dementia‖ with the aim of informing attendees about dementia and thus increasing levels of awareness and understanding. The group took a tour of the Alzheimer‘s Australia Vic library, was advised on the range of services available
and participants were provided with information in their own languages. Afterwards the group was treated to a light lunch and refreshments. Dementia information in community languages is available at www.fightdementia.org.au or by calling the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. For language assistance please call the Telephone Interpreting Service (TIS) 131 450 to connect to the helpline. Our sincere thanks to the Coordinator of the Aged Care Service Improvement & Healthy Ageing Program (ACSIHAG) Shemiran Gevergizyan and to the Bhutanese Community Group Leader, whose contributions made this event such a success. If you are planning a dementia information session and you are not sure where to start, please contact Grace Roberto AAV Multicultural Officer on (03) 9816 7800 or email [email protected]
Bhutanese Community Education Session held at
Alzheimer’s Australia Vic in Partnership with
Spectrum Migrant Resource Centre
Alzheimer’s Australia Vic Diversity News 2
Participants enjoy the Tastes To Remember event
Best practice in dementia care for CALD
communities
Alzheimer’s Australia Vic Diversity News 3
Photo taken from the project “I can do it!”. CALD Volunteers at Moorleigh Community Centre utilised the „Tiles of Life‟ theme from this years‟ Alzhei-mer‟s Australia National Conference. Photo taken by Norminda Forteza
Research conducted by Access Economics in 2009 estimated that 35,000 people living with dementia do not speak English at home. By 2050 that figure is estimated to be around 120,000. Alzheimer‘s Australia Vic conducted focus groups with over 383 participants from 12 CALD communities. From these groups we found a common lack of knowledge about dementia, its symptoms and causes as well as a lack of understanding about the services available and the importance of early diagnosis. Too often people living with dementia, their family and carers feel marginalised and isolated, reaching out to services in times of crisis, generally after a late diagnosis. We found members of these communities are even more unlikely to seek assistance outside of their own communities. In 2010 Alzheimer‘s Australia Vic received funding to look at improving our engagement with and response to the needs of CALD community members living with dementia, to increase staff awareness around the needs of CALD communities, to become more culturally sensitive in our practices and to build better relationships with key CALD community organisations and representatives. The specific aims of the project are to increase understanding and awareness about dementia and the services available to CALD communities; to ensure we are in an informed position to provide more culturally
appropriate and tailored services to people from CALD communities and to modify our already successful programs such as Family and Carer Education, Memory Lane Café‘s and the National Dementia Helpline to meet the needs of CALD communities. Some highlights to date include an increase in the use of
interpreter services; inclusion of more CALD communities
in our Memory Lane Cafes, the establishment of two new
multicultural cafes with members of four CALD
communities attending each, a significant improvement in
the cultural competence of our staff and the translation of
a number of our key resources and programs into
community languages.
The project concludes in October 2013. For further information contact Heather Chapman at Alzheimer‘s Australia Vic on 9815 7800.
Alzheimer‟s Australia‟s Vic‟s first Multicultural Tastes to Remember
at the Preston Town Hall in June 2012. Photo taken by Norminda
Forteza
The Driving and Dementia
Project - For Drivers and
Carers at the Crossroads
Alzheimer’s Australia Vic Diversity News 4
Driving is often a sensitive and challenging issue for people living with dementia, their families and carers. Balancing the need for safety with independence and mobility for drivers can be difficult, but it is important to talk about these matters. A diagnosis of dementia in its early stages is not an automatic reason to stop driving. The nature of the condition means that a person‘s ability to drive will decline and at some point they will need to stop driving. All motorists are required by law to advise VicRoads of any permanent or long term injury or illness that may impair their ability to drive safely. This includes a diagnosis of dementia. It is also critically important for carers to be on the lookout for changes in driving skills. Carers, family members and friends are often in the best position to monitor changes such as attention span, distance perception or the ability to quickly process information. Funded by the RACV, The Driving and Dementia Project is a two-year community partnership initiative between Alzheimer‘s Australia Vic and RACV, which commenced in May 2013. The project aims to support the health, safety and mobility needs of people living with dementia. The first year of the project will see the development of a resource for carers on driving and dementia and the roll-out of driving and dementia community information sessions across metro and regional Victoria. The second year of the project will involve close work with GPs and care professionals to assist them with the important role they play in balancing safety with the independence and mobility needs of drivers. Anyone seeking help or assistance around issues relating to driving and dementia should call the National Dementia Helpline 1800 100 500. For more information about the Driving and Dementia project contact Lucy Foley via email: [email protected] or phone: 9816 5753.
Historic memorandum of
understanding signed
with VACCHO
L-R Alzheimer‟s Australia Vic CEO Maree McCabe; Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health CEO Jill Gallagher AO
Alzheimer‘s Australia Vic and the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health organisation‘s Chief Ex-ecutive Officers, Maree McCabe and Jill Gallagher AO signed an historic memorandum of understanding in the presence of staff, community members and elders during an official ceremony at VACCHO‘s head office in Melbourne. It is often not recognised that dementia is a major health issue in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations, with research indicating a higher preva-lence of the disease in rural and remote communities. Research conducted in the Kimberly region showed the prevalence of dementia was 12.4% in Aboriginal peo-ple over 45 years and 26.8% in Aboriginal people over 65 years - a rate five times higher than the general Australian population (Lindeman, Taylor, Kuipers, Stothers & Piper, 2012; Pollitt, 1997; Smith et al., 2010). Similar results were obtained in research con-ducted in North Queensland with 20% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participants aged 65 and over diagnosed with dementia or cognitive impairment (Zann, 1994). In 2013, the Koori Growing Old Well Study, Aboriginal people aged 60 years and over, across five urban and regional Indigenous communities: Kempsey, Nam-bucca, Coffs Harbour, La Perouse and Campbelltown, NSW, Broe et al, reported a prevalence of 21% or 3 times that of the 6.8% of the general Australian rate in the population over 60 years of age. The memorandum of understanding acknowledges the positive work of both organisations already in progress which, for more than five years, has focus on improving health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Is-lander people living with dementia.For more information please contact John, on 0427 304 092 or email [email protected]
Alzheimer's Australia Vic Family Services 98-104 Riversdale Road Hawthorn 3122 Learning Services 155 Oak Street, Parkville 3052 Postal address: Locked Bag 3001, Hawthorn 3122
Phone: (03) 9815 7800 Fax: (03) 9815 7801 Email: [email protected]
fightdementia.org.au/vic yourbrainmatters.org.au Regional Offices: Albury/Wodonga, Ballarat, Bendigo, Drouin, Geelong, Lakes Entrance, Shepparton, Swan Hill and Warrnambool.
Vision A society committed to the prevention of dementia, while valuing and supporting people living with dementia.
Mission Providing leadership in dementia policy, risk reduction and services.
If you have any questions, comments or want more information about initiatives for people with dementia, their families and carers from CALD backgrounds, or would like to tell us about other initiatives in this area contact: Grace Roberto Diversity Officer Phone: (03) 9815 7800 Email: grace.roberto@ alzheimers.org.au For up-to-date information about dementia contact the National Dementia Helpline 1800 100 500 or via Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450
Alzheimer’s Australia Vic Diversity News 5
FREE Public Lecture with Dr Kristine Yaffe Maximising Cognitive Health 18 September 10.30am—12.00pm
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, 2 Clarendon Street, Southbank Online bookings:
https://fpl.eventarc.com/17342 Email:
[email protected] Tel: (03) 9816 5780
Flinders Street Station with NOVA FM
Prizes, giveaways and tips on reducing your risk of dementia. Come and join us as we raise awareness of dementia. 20 September 8am—5pm
Flinders Street Station, MELBOURNE Northern Dementia Alliance Memory Matters: Managing Better at Home 19 September 9am - 5pm FREE event.
Includes SMRC Choir, Sue Pieters-Hawke Councils, DBMAS, CALD 17 Organisations represented. Morning tea and lunch provided. Darebin Arts and Entertainment Centre Cr Bell St and St Georges Road, PRESTON Enquires, transport or respite assistance: Anna Civitico,
Tel: 1800 052 222
Dementia and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Groups 25 September 11am - 2pm
Multicultural Hub, 506 Elizabeth Street, MELBOURNE Email:
Tel: (03) 9816 5780
Alzheimer’s Australia Vic Open Day Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) An introduction to dementia and the services available to the Ballarat and regional communities. Light lunch provided. 26 September 10.30am - 2pm 4 East Street South, BALLARAT Online bookings: https://openday.eventarc.com/17558 Email: [email protected]
Tel: (03) 9816 5780
Connecting Communities for Brain Health Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Connect Communities hosts a brain health community information session with at least 10 communities from European and Asian backgrounds. 27 September 10.30am - 1.30pm Thomastown Library, 52 Main Street, THOMASTOWN Enquiries: Shemiran Gevergizyan (03) 9496 0246 [email protected] ‘Every day is Alzheimer’s’ Japanese film screening 3 October 2:00Pm – 4:00pm ACMI, Federation Square, MELBOURNE Online bookings: https://film.eventarc.com/17559 Email: [email protected] Tel: (03) 9816 5780
Other CALD events Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria (ECCV) Aged Care Forum New and Emerging Ageing Communities. In partnership with Alzheimer‘s Australia Vic 17 October 9.15 am - 12.15 pm 150 Palmerston Street, Carlton VIC 3053 This forum will bring together representatives from non-English speaking communities, service providers and stakeholders in order to identify:
What are the needs of emerging ageing com-
munities
How to work together to strengthen new and
emerging ageing communities
How to improve the access of emerging
communities into the aged care system
How services can better respond to new and
emerging ageing communities
How those communities can build the capacity
to deliver aged care
How can the uptake of dementia services by
those communities be facilitated To register email [email protected] or
call Nikolaus on (03) 9349 4122.
Noticeboard
Dementia Awareness Week 16—22 September 2013