Abstract

Carers in rural communities are targeted because this group are often disadvantaged and have less access to support services. If carers and communities can be better supported, then their capacity to assist and care for people with dementia is increased, thus potentially reducing the need for more expensive and more disruptive residential care, or multiple acute care admissions. The VERILY project is implemented using mixed qualitative and quantitative methods in tweleve rural communities (eight in Victoria, two in New South Wales, and two in South Australia) comprising of volunteer-led peer support and mentoring hubs to assist older people to use online information and communication technology, an integrated smartphone app and website, and a carer peer support groups that meet by videoconference. The model utilises innovative technology and skills building to increase whole of rural communities’ capacities to provide support for and care of local people who have dementia, and their friends and family. This project will result in the development of a toolkit that can be used by other rural communities in Australia to establish and adapt their own local, online, dementia-friendly rural communities.

Presenters

Irene Darmadi Blackberry
Chair and Director, Care Economy Research Institute , La Trobe University , Victoria, Australia

Clare Wilding

Jane Farmer

Debra Morgan

Megan O'Connell

Michael Bauer

Margaret Winbolt

Jennene Greenhill

David Perkins

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

2018 Special Focus: Aging, Health, Well-Being and Care in a Time of Extreme Demographic Change

KEYWORDS

"Rural", " Technology", " Dementia"

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