Caring for those living with dementia can be challenging. Up to 95% of people living with dementia experience changes in behaviour. These may include episodes of significant agitation or aggression that may be difficult to manage.
The complexity and severity of these behaviours means that some Australians living with dementia are unable to be cared for by mainstream residential care homes and require more support.
What to do when more help is needed
Specialist Dementia Care Programs (SDCPs) are eight-bed specialist care units tailored to the needs of individuals experiencing severe behaviours and psychological symptoms of dementia.
SDCPs have a focus on reducing or stabilising behaviours over time with the aim to ultimately transition the person with dementia back to mainstream residential care.
In 2023, 10 new SDCPs are planned to open within residential aged care sites across NSW, the ACT, Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania. These will sit alongside the nine units already in operation.
SDCPs are a borderless service – you don’t need to reside within a particular local health district or primary health network to be eligible for placement. On the North Coast, the closest SDCP is HammondCare Cardiff. In addition, HammondCare Erina, HammondCare Horsley and Sir Moses Montefiore Jewish Home, Randwick are anticipated to open in 2023, creating more options for placement and support.
How does my patient or resident access a bed in a SDCP?
Eligibility assessment for the specialist care units is undertaken by Dementia Support Australia (DSA) – a free nationwide service funded by the Australian Government and led by HammondCare.
DSA’s team of skilled dementia consultants work with the person experiencing complex behaviours and their carers to understand the frequency, severity, and impact of what is happening.
These assessments are the pathway that give SDCP providers the information they need to help them make decisions about placement within their units if the individual meets eligibility criteria. DSA determines eligibility and the SDCP determines appropriateness for placement within their unit.
For more information about referring to the program and the process for determining eligibility, visit Dementia Support Australia.