BPSD Management Workshops

Scroll down for some dementia resources including recorded webinars

WORKSHOP 2019: Reminiscing with people living with dementia

Talking about and exploring past pleasant memories or reminiscing is a commonly used approach to meaningfully engage people regardless of the severity of their dementia. It has many known benefits for the person as well as those who care for and support them and is important in providing person-centred care. Tailoring reminiscence to ensure it is relevant to and reflects the person’s interests, experiences, preferences and abilities can help maximise successful engagement.

This one-day workshop has been specifically designed for professional carers and health professionals working in acute, sub-acute, community and residential aged care settings. The material covered is focused on development of practical skills in using reminiscence to meaningfully engage people living with dementia.

For further information about the workshop including date and venue details, or to be added to the mailing list to receive future workshop information, please contact Alissa Westphal at: alissaw@unimelb.edu.au or click here for the workshop flyer and registration form.

WORKSHOP 2019: Using activities to enable and care for people living with dementia who experience behavioural and psychological symptoms

The majority of people living with dementia experience associated behavioural and psychological symptoms (BPSD) like aggression, agitation, psychosis, anxiety and depression. Tailoring activities to better meet the person’s needs, interests and abilities may assist in reducing some BPSD and increasing purposeful engagement.

This one-day workshop has been specifically designed for professional carers working in acute, sub-acute, community and residential aged care settings. The material covered is focused on development of skills in identifying, selecting and using activities to engage the person living with dementia who is experiencing BPSD.

For further information about the workshops including date and venue details, or to be added to the mailing list to receive future workshop information, please contact Alissa Westphal at: alissaw@unimelb.edu.au or click here for the workshop flyer and registration form.

WORKSHOP 2019: Using apps to enable engagement for people living with dementia

Engaging in pleasurable and meaningful activities is vital to the health and wellbeing of those living with dementia with lack of engagement associated with many negative outcomes. Touchscreen tablets provide a medium for readily customising engagement opportunities to meet the person’s needs, abilities and interests through the purposeful selection and use of apps.

This one-day workshop has been specifically designed for professional carers working in acute, sub-acute, community and residential aged care settings. The material covered is focused on development of practical skills in identifying, selecting and using touchscreen tablets and apps to enable engagement of people living with dementia.

Using reminiscence with people with dementia in sub-acute & acute care

Admission to hospital can be confusing and frightening for a person with dementia as they struggle to understand what is happening and where they are. Reminiscence provides a practical and easy to use approach that enables family, carers and staff to engage more meaningfully with the person with dementia. This manual, produced as part of a project funded by the Commonwealth's Department of Health 3rd Dementia Communities Program, provides practical information that staff and volunteers can use to adopt and implement reminiscence within everyday care of people with dementia who are hospitalised. The manual may also be applied in other care settings.

Please click here to access the manual.

Interested in learning more about how reminiscence may be used to engage and enable people with dementia? Register your interest in participating in a reminiscing workshop in 2018 by contacting Alissa Westphal at alissaw@unimelb.edu.au

WEBINAR: Apps for dementia: a national webinar on the benefits and use of apps for people living with dementia

A one-hour webinar provided by Dementia Training Australia on Monday 6th November 2017 and presented by Alissa Westphal.

This webinar explored the benefits of touchscreen tablets and apps for people living with dementia and their carers; discussed how to tailor app selection to the person's interest, background and abilities; and provided practical strategies for utilising apps to enable engagement.

To watch a recording of the webinar please click here

WEBINAR: Facilitating Living: Using activities to enable and engage people with dementia

Alissa Westphal, Lecturer in Dementia care and researcher at the Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age, discusses the major principles around using activities to engage people with Dementia.

This presentation was funded and recorded by the Dementia Training Study Centres, Funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services.

WEBINAR: Supporting families of people living with dementia

Alissa Westphal discusses the role of the occupational therapist in supporting families and people living with dementia in the Mental Health Practitioners webinar.