Eldercare Chief Executive Jane Pickering said it was an ‘honour for Eldercare to be recognised in an international forum’ for its dedication to improving the quality of life for people living with dementia.

“It has been a gradual process for the whole of Eldercare to fully embrace a culture of person-centred care, which is the central philosophy of our Dementia Excellence Program, so it is wonderful to see our efforts being recognised internationally,” said Ms Pickering.

The announcement comes after Eldercare won the Alzheimer’s Australia SA Dementia Care Excellence Award at the South Australian Community Achievement Awards in November last year.

Eldercare Dementia Excellence Program Manager Sarah Jamieson said that for Eldercare to be named as a finalist is a 'wonderful validation of our work' that endorses the positive impact the program has on people’s wellbeing.

“It means a great deal to be a finalist in an international ageing innovation forum as it reminds us that the service we provide is special,” said Ms Jamieson.

“Sharing our experience with the wider community and has the potential to improve the quality of life for many people.

“I believe the philosophy can be adopted by other organisations, locally, nationally and internationally because it uses familiar person-centred principles and a collaborative approach which empowers people, promotes choice, improves morale and increases wellbeing within a sustainable and straightforward to implement model.

“Examples of our person-centred principles in action include empowering residents to decide how they wish to spend their days by letting them choose the times they wish to wake, bathe and eat as much as possible.”

Eldercare’s Dementia Excellence Program is a comprehensive, inclusive and multifaceted care approach that is based on ongoing collaboration and co-operation between residents, families and staff and reflects Eldercare’s mission of delivering peace of mind with its care based on the values of respect, accountability and connection.

The other nominees for the Best Dementia Care Philosophy Award are:

• Proactive Dementia Care Approach from Aoi Care Co., Ltd., Japan
• Flametree Dementia Care Project at IRT Woonona from the IRT Group, Australia
• Making Moments Matter from The Salvation Army Aged Care Plus, Australia

The winner will be announced at the 5^th Asia Pacific Eldercare Innovation Awards on Friday 26 April 2017 at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, Singapore.