ONE SIZE DOESN’T FIT ALL

Mobile Dementia Respite TeamsREGIONAL

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Western Australia (Australia’s largest state)

Regional areas covered

• Areas to locate the Mobile Dementia Respite Teams were identified through consultation with the Commonwealth Government.

• The three pilot areas were:– The Central and Lower Great Southern based in

Albany.– The Goldfields region based in Kalgoorlie.– The Central Wheat Belt and part of Upper Great

Southern based in York.• Mandurah and surrounding districts based in Mandurah

came on board mid 2003.

Funding for the teams

• The Goldfields team, Central Wheat Belt team, and most of the Great Southern Mobile Dementia Respite team is funded through the Commonwealth National Respite for Carers Program (MDRT).

• The Mandurah team and part of the Great Southern team is funded through the State Government’s Home and Community Care Program (HACC).

Criteria for Mobile Program

• The person is diagnosed with an irreversible dementia.

• The person with dementia is supported by a primary carer who is involved in his or her care.

• The primary carer wishes to continue caring at home.

• The person with dementia can be presenting with some changing behaviours.

• The primary carer and person with dementia must live in a rural town or remote area within a two hour radius from the team’s base.

How the Mobile Service Operates

A two-person specialist team undertakes visits to the family home to:

– Assess and identify individual care needs of the carer and the person with dementia.

– Focus on identifying strategies to minimise changing behaviours.

– Offer practical interventions to assist in the care of the person with dementia.

Respite Programs Available Through The Mobile Teams

Regular community-based and in-home options of respite are offered to families in regional areas through a variety of options including:– In-Home Respite– Host Family Respite– Social Support Respite– Overnight and Cottage Respite (Albany only)

Goldfields MDRT

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Goldfields Mobile Dementia Respite Team

The Goldfields Team experiences:– Heat – Flies– Kangaroos and Emus– Camels, wild horses and goats– Wedgetail eagles, road trains and miners– Plus a pub on every corner of the main street!!

Issues faced by Goldfields MDRT

• Initially were not taken on board by existing service providers.

• Referrals were few and far between.

• A lot of time was spent promoting the service.

• The allocation of a white vehicle was very off putting to the indigenous community.

• Long distances and isolation for the team.

• Difficulty in attracting and retaining Support Staff.

What Works for our Team

• Fantastic support from families requiring our assistance.

• The community has recognised our value to the towns serviced by our team and we now have their support.

• Memory Cafes & “Legends of the Bush”

– Great support from different agencies to run these

– Themes

– Interest from seniors in our areas also wanting to attend

Goldfields MDRT Survey ResultsWhich of the following reflects your level of satisfaction with

the respite service you receive?(12 surveys distributed, 5 returned)

Highly Satisfied

Moderately Satisfied

Moderately

Dissatisfied

Dissatisfied

No Response

5

Goldfields MDRT Survey ResultsWhich of the following reflects your view of the care given by

your respite careworkers?

Highly Satisfied

Moderately Satisfied

Moderately

Dissatisfied

Dissatisfied

No Response

5

Goldfields MDRT Survey Responses

• The “carer” that comes to provide respite assistance is a generous and compassionate person. We’re happy with her support for two years now!

• Just keep reminding carers/careworkers that the best certificate they can be proud of … is their HEART. Old, frail, disabled people are human beings that needs love and compassion. It’s not their fault if they suffer from an illness like dementia. If we care … one day we need help …we will be blessed with a kind carer! Thank you!!

Central Wheatbelt MDRT

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Central Wheatbelt Mobile Dementia Respite Team

• Like the Goldfields, the Central Wheat Belt battles the intense heat and the extremely dry weather conditions in summer months

• Flies and road trains etc• Vast distances

Issues faced by the Central Wheat belt

• We have very long days. To reach one client the team can travel up to six hours return to spend time with the client. Approximate travel of 15 000 kilometres every three months.

• Creative care planning utilised due to support workers often limited to staying at home with their clients.

• The cost of fuel/transport/outings as some families can be 100 to 400 kms away from services and shops.

• Attracting and retaining staff.

What Works for our Team

• No hustle and bustle of city life.

• Very relaxed home visits.

• Generally get invited to stay for lunch or morning or afternoon tea, great for building rapport.

• Very innovative care planning, by working with other service providers to implement the best care packages available.

• Carer Support Groups.

• Host Family Club.

Wheatbelt MDRT Survey ResultsWhich of the following reflects your level of satisfaction with

the respite service you receive?(37 surveys distributed, 19 returned)

Highly Satisfied

Moderately Satisfied

Moderately

Dissatisfied

Dissatisfied

No Response

17 1 1

Wheatbelt MDRT Survey ResultsWhich of the following reflects your view of the care given by

our respite careworkers?

Highly Satisfied

Moderately Satisfied

Moderately

Dissatisfied

Dissatisfied

No Response

14 1 4

Wheatbelt MDRT Responses

• Our respite careworker was particularly able to motivate our mother into knitting again, by brining her own knitting and encouraging her.

• We need more help in rural country and more respite areas in the country.

• Thank you sincerely for all the support your mob have given us, and I’m sure I’ll need a lot more, so don’t go away please.

Great Southern MDRT

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Great Southern Mobile Dementia Team

• We battle four seasons in one day!

• Lush farmlands.

• Vineyards.

• Magnificent Stirling Ranges.

• Tall timbers in our unique Karri forests.

• Picturesque southern coastline.

Issues faced by the Great Southern team

• We found initially that the primary carer wanted to stay at home while the support worker took the person with dementia out.

• Unpredictable weather conditions made it challenging for support workers to implement care plans.

• Identified gaps in service for centre-based and overnight respite (through local community).

What Works for our Team

• Implementation of Hawthorn Community Respite House.• We were able to run a variety of programs for the person with

dementia, such as day clubs funded by HACC which offer a safe haven and socialisation.

• This also proved to be a great opportunity for family carers to have a drop in “Open Door Policy” to enable them to have a chat, unwind or access a resource room.

• Also run a number of different support groups for people with dementia and their carers.

• Eden philosophy and registration

Great Southern MDRT Survey ResultsWhich of the following reflects your level of satisfaction with

the respite service you receive?(63 surveys distributed, 30 returned)

Highly Satisfied

Moderately Satisfied

Moderately

Dissatisfied

Dissatisfied

No Response

27 2 1

Great Southern MDRT Survey ResultsWhich of the following reflects your view of the care given by

our respite careworkers?

Highly Satisfied

Moderately Satisfied

Moderately

Dissatisfied

Dissatisfied

No Response

29 1

Great Southern MDRT Survey Responses

• Having my mother so well cared for at Hawthorn House enables me to spend weekends away with my children and grandchildren and keep up with hobbies.

• For my husband the experience is more negative. He is forgetful but not stupid and is still too much aware to want to play the games or whatever activities are being done on the day he is there. He doesn’t consider himself as silly as the rest of the dementia patients. The staff are very much aware of my husband’s problem and seek to address it.

• It feels more like family.• They are always there if any crisis arises.

Mandurah Regional Respite Team

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Mandurah Regional Respite Team

• Manufacturing, construction, retail and tourism.

• A lot of water activities boasting the finest water ways in Australia, fishing, crabbing, swimming, recreational cruising and waterskiing.

• One of the fastest growing suburbs in the whole of Australia, and a haven for retirees.

Issues Faced by Mandurah Team

• Prior to 2003 the area had been supported by volunteers with an emphasis on fundraising.

• A team coordinator was appointed with HACC funding, providing clients with continuity of care.

• Caught between both regional and metropolitan areas we look at ourselves as being RETRO and easily identify with both areas.

• Demand far outweighs supply.

What Works for our Team

• Volunteers who offer a variety of roles to our small team:– Office assistants, fundraisers, host club

assistants and various other support roles.• Social support programs• A team of dedicated people who give 110% to

clients and their families living with dementia in the region.

Mandurah Regional Survey ResultsWhich of the following reflects your level of satisfaction with

the respite service you receive?(50 surveys distributed, 26 returned)

Highly Satisfied

Moderately Satisfied

Moderately

Dissatisfied

Dissatisfied

No Response

23 2 1

Mandurah Regional Survey ResultsWhich of the following reflects your view of the care given by

our respite careworkers?

Highly Satisfied

Moderately Satisfied

Moderately

Dissatisfied

Dissatisfied

No Response

23 1 2

Mandurah Survey Responses

• Every Wednesday morning I go to line dancing classes and I am so happy to leave my husband with D, and not have to worry about him being alone.

• I always know my wife is well cared for and safe.• My husband always comes home having had a “most

enjoyable time with lots of laughs” (his words)• My spouse seems to have improved since he is going

out in the bus with other men. Getting more feedback from him.

• All go beyond expectations to give150%.

With Special Thanks To:

1. Frank Schaper (CEO), for his continuing support2. Elizabeth Barnes, Project Manager, Albany3. Rae Bransgrove, Team Coordinator, Goldfields MDRT4. Denise Robertson, Team Coordinator, Central

Wheatbelt MDRT5. Pamela Smith, Team Coord, Great Southern MDRT6. Melissa Kimber, Team Coord, Mandurah Respite Team