A group of Eldercare personal carers trialled the course, named ‘Dementia care for the care worker’, which was developed by researchers within the Department of Rehabilitation, Aged and Extended Care at Flinders University.

Research Fellow Dr Kate Laver, who developed the course, said the aim of the online program was to create a ‘practical and interactive’ course for professional carers.

“Results from the trial indicated the course is informative, interesting and relevant because the information could be directly applied to situations experienced within the workplace,” said Dr Laver.

“Feedback from Eldercare care workers during the trial allowed us to make modifications to the course which improved its quality and applicability.

“We have worked with Eldercare before on other projects and have always been very impressed by their commitment to providing the best possible care for people with dementia.”

Eldercare Dementia Excellence Program Manager Sarah Jamieson said the course ‘underpins the organisation’s current training’ on caring for people living with dementia.

“The course has been designed for care workers and the modules cover dignity in care, responding to changed behaviour, promoting independence, providing palliative care and supporting families,” said Ms Jamieson.

“Because it is an online course, it is flexible and convenient for care workers to complete at their own pace and around their commitments.

“We will be encouraging all of our care workers to undertake the course so we can continue to deliver peace of mind with our care by ensuring staff have access to the latest educational resources relating to best practice dementia care.”

The development of the online course was made possible through funding from the Australian Government’s NHMRC Cognitive Decline Partnership Centre and can be accessed free of charge from their website.