National Quality Dementia Care Initiative

Applications for the second funding round of the National Quality Dementia Care Initiative are now open. Download the invitation to apply and guidelines for applicants on this page.

Overview

The Alzheimer’s Australia Quality Dementia Care Initiative has been established to address two important issues.

1. First, there is a strong consensus that as eventual consumers of dementia research, people with dementia and their carers are not sufficiently consulted or involved in decisions about dementia research, or in the way in which dementia research findings are used.
2. Second, a large percentage of the dementia care research that happens in Australia and overseas takes a very long time to result in improved care outcomes for people with dementia (17 years, if at all, by one estimate).

The National Quality Dementia Care Initiative is run from the Alzheimer’s Australia National office, and involves two related programs – a consumer network, and a source of funding for dementia care quality improvement projects.

The project has been funded by the JO and JR Wicking Trust, and by Bupa Care Services Australia to run from 2010 to 2014. Over this time, a number of projects will be supported through Alzheimer’s Australia state and territory organisations. In early 2012, the Initiative will launch a new interactive website to showcase the projects, and to provide a portal for information and resources on evidence-based dementia care.

The following points provide an overview of the key elements of the Initiative:

Aim

The aim of the Alzheimer’s Australia National Quality Dementia Care Initiative is to improve the quality of dementia care in Australia by enabling people with dementia and their carers to get involved in dementia research activities, and by supporting projects that promote evidence-based best-practice in dementia care. 

Objectives

The overall objectives of the Alzheimer’s Australia National Quality Dementia Care Initiative are:

1. To achieve changes in policy and practice that improve the quality of dementia care in Australia;
2. To enable people with dementia and their carers to set priorities for dementia research and research knowledge translation.

Structure

There are two components to the Initiative:

1. National Quality Dementia Care Network (the NQDCN)
2. Consumer Dementia Research Network (the CDRN) 

National Quality Dementia Care Network

The NQDCN aims to improve the quality of dementia care in Australia by funding projects that engage in innovative strategies to address significant gaps between evidence and practice in dementia care. 

Consumer Dementia Research Network

The CDRN aims to provide individuals with dementia, their family carers and friends the opportunity to be actively involved in dementia research and knowledge translation. The CDRN will be involved in all stages of NQDCN projects, including setting project priority areas, evaluating project proposals, monitoring projects and assisting with the dissemination of results. The CDRN will also work with dementia research organisations and research funding agencies including the Dementia Collaborative Research Centres. 

Evaluation

The Initiative will be evaluated by the Centre for Health Services Development (CHSD), at the University of Wollongong. CHSD will follow the Initiative throughout, and will provide a final report at the conclusion of activities in mid-2013. The evaluation will assess the impact and effectiveness of the Initiative as a whole, as well as the CDRN and individual projects funded through the NQDCN.

The evaluation will report on the processes used to engage stakeholders and to improve the quality of care through knowledge translation; on the impact of the activities in terms of improved dementia care, and on longer term outcomes for people with dementia, their families and carers.

Funding Rounds

An initial funding round advertised in late 2011 supported two projcts

• The Dementia Enabling Environments Project (AAWA)
• Training family carers to undertake Montessori activities in residential aged care facilities to help manage the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (Monash University)  

Applicatons for the second funding round will close on 4 November, 2011:

• Invitation to apply for Round 2 Project Proposals (PDF, 678 KB)
• Proposal Template (Word document, 243 KB) 
• Further information for applicants - 25 October (PDF, 247 KB)

Acknowledgements

Alzheimer’s Australia is grateful for the support provided for this initiative by the JO and JR Wicking Trust, Bupa Care Services Australia, and the Dementia Collaborative Research Centres. 

Further Information

For more information please contact;

Dr Chris Hatherly, Project Manager National Quality Dementia Care Initiative on 02 6278 8902 or  email.

Dr Ellen Skladzien, Manager Consumer Dementia Research Network on 02 6278 8927 or email.