Aged Care Services Specialist Dementia Care Program Phase One

Overview

The Specialist Dementia Care Program (SDCP) is a new Australian Government initiative that will establish specialist dementia care units to support people who experience very severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) who are unable to be appropriately cared for by mainstream aged care services. The program will offer specialised, transitional residential support, focussing on reducing or stabilising symptoms over time, with the aim of enabling people to move to less intensive care settings. This grant opportunity offers a targeted competitive grant to achieve the following objectives: provide care for people exhibiting very severe BPSD (which may also be described as responsive behaviours associated with dementia) who are unable to be effectively cared for by mainstream aged care services enable residential aged care providers to deliver care in a dedicated dementia friendly environment (generally a dedicated unit within a broader residential care service)  provide intensive, specialised residential care with a focus on stabilising and reducing the person’s symptoms over time with the aim of enabling transition to a less intensive care setting complement the existing Australian Government-funded Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service (DBMAS) and Severe Behaviour Response Teams (SBRTs) enhance the existing health and aged care service systems for people with very severe BPSD, including complementing state and territory government services and supports generate evidence on best practice care for people exhibiting very severe BPSD, that can be adapted for use in mainstream settings to benefit all people with dementia.