A dementia consultant nurse from an international oncology centre in the UK collaborates with a national expert in Digital Clinical Placements to deliver high‑quality clinical education to thousands of pre‑registration nurses across Adult, Mental Health, Children’s, and Learning Disability fields.

Through the DCP model, learners gain direct access to real‑world expertise in supporting people and families affected by dementia and cancer.

Advance care planning is grounded in the principle of autonomy – the right of individuals to make decisions about their future health care. This presentation explores the tension between the autonomy of the ‘earlier’ person and the roles played by families and clinicians acting on behalf of an incompetent patient who completed an advance care plan.

• The Mercy Health Dementia Model of Care redefines traditional residential aged care by placing greater emphasis on residents’ personal choices, independence, and overall quality of life.
• The model is built on four foundational principles: person centred care, engagement and connection, dementia friendly environments, and staff capability uplift. These principles were developed collaboratively with residents, their families, and staff.
• The methodology of the evaluation of this model, conducted by Monash University, will be presented. And early insights and learnings of residents and staff will be shared.

Hosted with Aged Care Reform Forum in the pre-function area

People living with dementia are more likely to miss out on routine eyecare, increasing their risk of experiencing preventable sight loss. Poor eyesight makes life with dementia harder, increasing risk of falls, social isolation and loneliness, and dependence on others for support. Everyone living with dementia should have regular eye tests, and our research set out to make this easier for everyone involved in the process. Come along and hear about the links between dementia and eyesight, free resources we’ve made to help people living with dementia get regular eye tests, and find out how you can help shape a future dementia eyecare pathway for residential aged care.

When we broaden our perception of behaviour we can effortlessly bring about a significant shift in work practices resulting in decreased numbers of incidences. To facilitate such a shift, 3 points will be explored:

• What’s in a label?
• The linguistic impact on our emotions
• The 3 filters that sustain beliefs

The information shared is grounded in Family Therapy, Advanced Systems Theory, and Neurolinguistic Programming, has been trialed and tested in diverse cultures around the world with consistent constructive outcomes for all involved. Real life accounts will be shared highlighting the change in behaviour as a result of the shift in focus.

• Vulnerability of someone living with Dementia in a regional town
• Accessing appropriate services to remain at home
• Challenges of accessing services in an area where there are limited options

Hosted with Aged Care Reform Forum in the pre-function area

Respite care for people with dementia is intended to support both the person and their informal carer to continue to live within their community – the effectiveness and uptake of respite services is dependent on a well-trained and knowledgeable dementia respite care team.

• The Wicking Dementia Centre, University of Tasmania, in partnership with Dementia Support Australia, launched Dementia Respite Education and Mentoring (DREAM) in June 2024. Funded by the Australian Government, DREAM builds aged care workforce’s capability to deliver quality dementia respite care through five tailored online learning modules, a virtual support network, and in-person coaching.
• By October 2025, DREAM exceeded its June 2026 target KPIs, attracting 7,158 workers in residential (42.2%), community (31.7%) and acute settings (1.9%). Participants include personal care workers (28.1%), registered nurses (10.5%), management (9.6%), administrative (3.9%), volunteer (3.3%) and leisure and lifestyle staff (5.6%).
• Aligned with the reforms, DREAM meets the need for free, concise, tailored, and relevant dementia education. Designed for the respite workforce, DREAM is accessible and relevant to all workers providing care for people living with dementia.

• When should healthcare professionals introduce palliative care in dementia, and what changes for carers when it’s introduced early versus during a crisis?
• Which communication approaches have most helped to align care with what matters to the person and carer?
• How can multidisciplinary teams work better to deliver compassionate, person-centred palliative care?
• What are the most practical ways to support families through grief and bereavement?

Moderator: Associate Professor Anita Goh, Clinical Neuropsychologist & Director of Aged Care and Social Gerontology, National Ageing Research Institute