Language and Dementia
Why a Language Guide?
The language we use to talk about dementia is crucial to how we understand and support people living with dementia. The National Dementia Education and Training Standards Framework (NDETSF) defines dementia as 'A range of neurological conditions that involve changes in the brain and a wide collection of possible cognitive symptoms.
This language guide is intended as a point of reference to ensure consistency within DTA when it comes to the language we are using across the organisation. The guide can be used as a base for understanding unfamiliar terms or acronyms that are frequently used in the National Standards Framework, as well as specific to DTA's products and services.
"I am not labelled or defined by my dementia diagnosis, and the cause of my actions are carefully understood. My need for support is acknowledged and my changes in expression of needs are positively responded to."
Source: DTA Living Experience Reference GroupPerson-First Language
Supporting people living with dementia means seeing the person first, not the disease. One of the most evident ways we do this is through the language we use. For example, instead of describing someone as a 'dementia patient', it is better to say 'a person living with dementia'. Simple changes of phrase like this make a big difference to the way we support and have conversations with people living with dementia.
If you're ever unsure what language someone would prefer to use, the best approach is to simply and politely ask the person living with dementia.
Person-Centred Care
Person-first language is an essential part of what is referred to as the 'person-centred care approach'. The person-centred care approach requires you to consider all aspects of the person - their psychological needs, spiritual and cultural needs, social interactions and relationships as well as physcial wellbeing. Essentially, person-centred care puts a person's interests, background, and needs first rather than approaching them as a collection of symptoms and behaviours to be managed.
Person-centred care is an approach that focuses on the individual as a whole, rather than just their symptoms or behaviours. It emphasises understanding
and addressing the person's psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural needs.
This approach also considers their social interactions, relationships, and physical wellbeing to ensure holistic care.
This approach also considers their social interactions, relationships, and physical wellbeing to ensure holistic care.
Person-first language is a key component of person-centred care. It involves prioritising the individual by acknowledging them as a person first, rather than
defining them by their condition.
This practice helps to promote dignity and respect, ensuring that the persons identity and humanity are at the forefront of care.
This practice helps to promote dignity and respect, ensuring that the persons identity and humanity are at the forefront of care.
Person-centred care ensures that the interests, background, and needs of the individual are prioritised. This approach fosters a deeper understanding of the person
and their unique experiences.
By focusing on the person rather than their condition, care providers can build stronger, more meaningful relationships and deliver more effective support.
By focusing on the person rather than their condition, care providers can build stronger, more meaningful relationships and deliver more effective support.
DTA's Products and Services Language
Products and Services
DTA provides a variety of products and services that are referred to using specific terms depending on the length and type of content. It is important to use consistent language when referring to DTA's products and services, both for staff and customers. This page contains terms which are used to divide and categorise DTA's content.
Let's take a look at the terms used to divide and categorise DTA's content.
DTA Products and Services Important Terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Product | A product is any DTA content that is delivered externally as a service or an item. The definition includes a training course, module, resource, consultancy or event, including online and/or face-to-face engagement, available for individuals and/or organisations (DTA clients) to enrol in, or access, to address a knowledge or skill need. |
| Service | DTA provides a range of services, including programs, workshops and courses that are available both online and face-to-face. These are educational and training activities and opportunities. |
| Program | A program is a DTA learning opportunity catered to a specific audience and area of dementia knowledge that includes a range of learning options, such as in-person workshops and online courses. |
| Workshop | A workshop is a one-time event, focused on a particular area of knowledge or topic. Workshops are hands-on and interactive, emphasising practical application over theory. They often involve group activities, discussions, and collaborative tasks. The goal of a workshop is to provide participants with practical skills or knowledge that can be immediately applied. |
| Course | The term ‘course’ is used to refer to DTA's online training and educational opportunities only. Courses are structured into modules. |
| Module |
All DTA’s online courses are divided into modules. Each module covers a specific area of knowledge within the course. Modules are self-contained and designed to be
completed in one session.
Modules include features such as:
|
| Topic | Modules are divided into topics. Topics are more specific areas of knowledge within a module, with a shorter time prediction. |
Understanding the Language of the NDETSF
The National Dementia Education and Training Standards Framework (NDETSF) provides a foundation for all content and learning that DTA creates.
The National Dementia Education And Training Standards Framework (NDETSF) will improve the consistency and quality in education and training. The Framework ensures that all Australians living with dementia, regardless of care setting and location, receive high-quality, evidence-based support and care that enhances their health and wellbeing. The NDETSF was commissioned and funded by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing and developed by Dementia Training Australia.
NDETSF Important Terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Domain |
A domain is a subject or topic area. The NDETSF conceptualises 14 domains:
|
| Tier |
A tier defines a different level of knowledge and skill relevant to areas of dementia practice. This may be utilised by role or by progression of the person's knowledge and skill level.
There are four tiers of knowledge (what the person knows or needs to know) and skill (what the person can do or needs to know how to do):
|
| Theme | A theme is a sub-topic area that relates to a domain. |
Dictionary of Terms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Action Group | An action group is a team formed to tackle specific tasks or objectives. Members of the action group work together to implement recommendations, address issues, or achieve goals. The group typically includes individuals within an organisation with relevant expertise or roles related to the tasks at hand. |
| Action Plan | An action plan is a detailed document outlining steps needed to achieve the goals set by the action group. It may include tasks, responsible individuals/teams, and resources required. The action plan provides a roadmap for implementing solutions, ensuring objectives are met eectively and eciently. |
| Advance Care Planning | Planning for future health care in order for preferences and choices to be known if seriously ill or unable to communicate. |
| Aged Care Quality Standards | The Quality Standards ensure that the care and services a provider delivers are safe, of a high quality and meet the needs of those under their care. |
| Agitation | Agitation is a commonly occurring changed behaviour. It describes observable, non-specific, restless behaviours that are excessive, inappropriate and repetitive. |
| Alzheimer's Disease | Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. It is caused by protein plaques and tangles in the brain. These progressively damage and destroy the brain's nerve cells. |
| Analgesics | Medications used to treat and manage pain. |
| Anxiety | It is common for people living with dementia to have anxiety. Anxiety can make symptoms of dementia worse, particularly those that aect a person’s attention, planning, organising and decision-making. |
| Benzodiazepines | A group of depressant drugs which slow down the messages between the brain and the body. Often prescribed for the short-term treatment of stress, anxiety or insomnia, they are also known as 'minor tranquillisers' and sedatives (or sleeping pills). |
| Blended Learning | A combination of multiple learning formats, for example, e-learning and face-to-face learning. |
| Care Environment | The place a person receives care. For example, this can be in a person's home, a consulting room, hospital bed space, prison, or any treatment/clinic area. |
| Care Model | Also known as a model of care, it is a description of the lifestyle supported by an organisation through care programs, planned activities, and building design. |
| Care Partnership Approach | A person-centred approach that recognises relationships between a person living with dementia and their family members or friends and involves all relevant parties in decision making and support planning. |
| Carer Partner | A paid or unpaid person who helps a person living with dementia with activities of daily living. |
| Case Study | A case study is a valuable component of a learning module because it provides a real-life scenario that gives context to the information being taught. |
| Changed Behaviour (CB) | Changes in behaviour and thinking caused by expression of emotion, damage to an area of the brain, or by the person trying to communicate a need that has not been met. |
| Chemical Restraint | A chemical restraint is a practice or intervention that involves the use of medication or a chemical substance for the primary purpose of influencing a care recipient’s behaviour. |
| Childhood Dementia | Dementia that effects children between the ages of 0 and 18, usually as the result of a genetic disorder. There are more than 75 genetic factors that may lead to a diagnosis of childhood dementia, causing early childhood cognitive development to cease or reverse. |
| Commissioned Training (CT) | A training program to meet the specific needs of an organisation, formulated after a guided conversation has taken place to inform comprehensive training recommendations. Commissioned training may include online learning, consultancy services and workshops. |
| Community of Practice | A group of people who share a common interest or profession and come together to exchange knowledge, experiences, and best practices. Members of a community of practice collaborate, learn from one another, and support each other in their shared field or topic of interest. The primary goals of a community of practice are to foster learning, improve practices, and build a sense of community among its members. |
| Comorbidity | Comorbidity refers to the occurrence of more than one disorder at the same time. For example, a person may be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and depression. |
| Connectedness | A feeling of being socially, emotionally, spiritually, or physically linked with another person, with a place or with a group. |
| Consortium Partner | DTA combines the expertise of four universities (University of Wollongong, La Trobe University, Queensland University of Technology, University of Western Australia), Dementia Australia and associate partner with University of Tasmania Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, to deliver a coordinated national approach to dementia training for individuals and organisations. These are the consortium partners. Central coordination is provided by consortium lead, the University of Wollongong. |
| Consultancy Program | A consultancy program is a program that contains content specific to a client's situation and that focuses on solving particular problems. They vary in length - from a few weeks to months - depending on the scope of the project or the engagement. The content is specific to the client's situation, focusing on solving particular problems. These are expert- driven engagements, and often involve strategy development, process improvement, and hands-on implementation support, aimed at addressing specific challenges and achieving particular goals. |
| Context Statement | A statement which defines the scope of a domain’s subject area and expected outcomes of standard attainment. |
| Course | A DTA course is a training or education opportunity that is delivered online. |
| Cultural competence | The ability of an person to understand and respect values, attitudes and beliefs that differ across cultures, and to consider and respond appropriately to each person. |
| Delirium | A serious short-term condition where the person experiences a disturbance in attention, perception, awareness, and cognition due to a medical condition. |
| Dementia | A range of neurological conditions that involve changes in the brain and a wide collection of possible cognitive symptoms. |
| Dementia paradigms | Paradigms are a set of concepts, thoughts and beliefs or approaches to viewing an experience. Examples in dementia are the medical model, psycho-social model, person-centred care and the human rights approach. |
| Dementia with Lewy bodies | Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a form of dementia that involves damage to nerve cells in the brain by abnormal spherical structures call Lewy bodies. The structures are named after a doctor who first wrote about them. Dementia with Lewy bodies can have similar symptoms to Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson's disease. |
| Dementia-inclusive community | An inclusive community where people living with dementia are understood, respected and supported. Also called a dementia friendly community. |
| Depression | Depression is common in people with dementia. Having depression can make it much harder to live as well as possible with dementia. It can also worsen problems with memory and thinking. |
| Diversion Approach | Diversion activities can be very helpful if the person is agitated or unsettled and can help settle the person. Diversion can be used to refocus the attention of the person and redirect them to a more uplifting activity. |
| Domain | A domain is a subject or topic area. The NDETSF conceptualises 14 domains. |
| eLearning | A mode of online learning courses |
| Enablement | A process of empowering individuals to manage their own lives and create conditions that allow people to achieve their full potential. |
| Events | A wide range of workshops and webinars, open to public registration. |
| Feedback | A component of the online modules designed to encourage reflection. |
| Frontotemporal dementia | In this type of dementia there can be damage to either or both the frontal lobe or the temporal lobe of the brain. This type of dementia can occur more commonly in younger people. Early symptoms often start with a change in the persons behaviour. |
| Glymphatic system | A system for waste clearance in the central nervous system (CNS) of vertebrates |
| Guided Conversation | A structured yet flexible dialogue designed to explore specific topics or issues in depth, often with the purpose of gathering insights and identifying training needs. In the context of developing a comprehensive CT program for an organisation, a guided conversation involves key stakeholders and is led by a Training Consultant who steers the discussion with targeted questions and prompts. |
| Hybrid Learning | Also known as blended learning, hybrid learning is a combination of multiple learning formats, including but not limited to e-learning, face-to-face learning and virtual classrooms. |
| Incidence | The number of individuals who develop a specific disease or experience a specific health-related event during a particular time period. |
| Knowledge | What the person knows or needs to know. |
| Knowledge Check | A knowledge check is a feature at the end of a module to prompt learners to check whether they have absorbed all the relevant information from the module. |
| Learning Outcome | Learning outcomes are specified for all training occasions, both online and face-to-face. Learning outcomes summarise what information will be covered by the end of the training program. |
| Learning Pathways | Developed by DTA. A dementia education and training database and online search tool aligned with the National Dementia Education and Training Standards Framework. |
| Learning Portal/Landing Page | A unique page for commissioned training clients, hosting training information as detailed within Service Agreement for commissioned training. The page is password protected and specific to the client. |
| Living Experience Outcome | A statement developed by the living experience reference group on what meeting standards in that domain means for them. |
| Malignant social psychology | A diminishment of self-identity and self-worth often caused by negative interactions with others, stigma, and being treated as a lesser person. Attributed to the work of Thomas Kitwood. |
| Management Plan | A management plan outlines common care needs and recommended treatments and services for a person living with dementia. |
| Masterclass | Masterclasses are more specialised and focused training, often led by an expert or a renowned figure in a particular field. They are designed to delve deep into a specific aspect of a subject. Masterclasses are typically aimed at individuals who already have some experience or knowledge in the subject area and are looking to refine or elevate their skills. |
| Microlearning (Learning bites) | Microlearning refers to short-term learning activities and small learning units. They provide short e- learning sessions that use engaging training material. |
| Montessori approach | Many of us are familiar with the term Montessori as it applies to education but only a few of us in Australia are familiar with the application of Montessori methods for Dementia and Ageing. As an innovative method of working with older adults living with cognitive and/or physical impairments, Montessori has the potential to change the lives of people in care communities and enhance the lives of people in their own homes. |
| National Aged Care Design Principles | The National Aged Care Design Principles and Guidelines provide a comprehensive, evidence- based resource to guide accommodation design to support the delivery of high quality, safe, respectful and dignified care for older people living in residential aged care accommodation. They were developed by the Department of Health and Aged Care with DTA. They build on existing evidence and reflect internationally recognised approaches to designing environments for older people. |
| National Dementia Education and Training Standards Framework | Developed by DTA. The framework will improve the consistency and quality in dementia education and training. The framework ensures that all Australians living with dementia, regardless of care setting and location, receive high-quality, evidence-based support and care that enhances their health and wellbeing. |
| Non-Pharmacological intervention | A way of treating or preventing a disease or illness in way that doesn't primarily involve administering medicine. Also see 'psycho-social-spiritual engagement'. |
| Palliative approach | An approach that improves the quality of life of people and their families who are facing issues associated with life-threatening illness. A palliative approach supports a person’s physical, psychosocial, or spiritual needs. |
| Person-Centred Care | Person-centred care puts the person and their needs at the centre of their care. It recognises that cognition does not determine a person’s capacity for emotional wellbeing or ill-being. |
| Personhood | A sense of self-identity, self-value, and individuality influenced by interpersonal relationships. |
| Pharmacological intervention | Pharmacological intervention refers to the administration of medication to treat or prevent a disease or illness. |
| Polypharmacy | The use of several medications taken at the same time to treat a condition or conditions. |
| Prevalence | The proportion of a particular population found to be affected by a medical condition at a specific time. |
| Product | A product is any DTA content that is delivered externally as a service or an item. The definition includes a training course, module, resource, consultancy or event, including online and/or face-to-face engagement, available for individuals and/or organisations (DTA clients) to enrol in, or access, to address a knowledge or skill need. |
| Products and Services Catalogue | A complete list of DTA educational and training products. |
| Psycho-social-spiritual engagement | Holistic therapeutic interventions, activities and purposeful engagement that support wellbeing and maintain personhood. Also described as non- pharmacological interventions. |
| Psychotropic medication | A drug or other substance that affects how the brain works and causes changes in mood, awareness, thoughts, feelings, or behaviour. Examples of psychotropic substances include alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, marijuana, and certain pain medicines. |
| Reablement | An approach that supports individuals living with dementia to maximise their independence and functionality as much as possible. |
| Reminiscence | Reminiscence refers to recollections of memories from the past. It is familiar and can be used for the benefit of others. It is very important for people living with dementia as their short-term memory is often impaired, but longer term memories remain intact for much longer-term. |
| Restrictive practices | Any practice or intervention that has the eect of restricting the rights or freedom of movement of a person. |
| Rural and Remote Australia | Location of delivery as defined by the Modified Monash Model (MMM). |
| Service Agreement | A Service Agreement specifies all delivery details and terms of the Commissioned Training. |
| Services | DTA provides a range of services, including programs, workshops and courses, that are available both online and face-to-face. These are educational and training activities and opportunities. |
| Skill | What the person can do or needs to know how to do. |
| Sleep Apnea | A potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. |
| Stimuli | An input or event that evokes a reaction or response. Stimuli can refer to sensory input or environmental triggers. |
| Sunflower tool | The Sunflower tool is simple visual tool that uses biographical information to help promote person- centred care and communication. |
| Supported decision maker | People in the early or middle stages of dementia may need support from someone who knows them or an advocate to assist with their decision making. |
| Supported decision making | Assisting a person to make their own decisions, as much as possible, so they can develop and pursue their own goals and make choices about their life. |
| Theme | Sub-topic area that relates to a domain. |
| Tier | A tier defines a different level of knowledge and skill relevant to areas of dementia practice. This may be utilised by role or by progression of the person’s knowledge and skill level. |
| Topic | Modules are divided into topics. Topics are more specific areas of knowledge within a module, with a shorter time prediction. |
| Train the Trainer | A program that trains non-DTA trainers to delivery DTA training. Includes all training materials and instructions needed to deliver the session competently. |
| Training Recommendations | A proposal with suggestions for DTA training items to be included in Commissioned Training. Provided following a guided discussion with the customer. The training recommendations outline the types of training that should be provided, the content and skills to be covered, the preferred delivery methods (e.g., workshops, online courses), and the target audience within the organisation. They aim to bridge identified knowledge or skill gaps and align the training program with the organisation's strategic objectives. |
| Treatment plan | A detailed plan with information about a person's disease, goal of treatment, treatment options for the disease and possible side effects, and expected length of treatment. |
| Trigger | Something that may effect a person’s emotional state by causing extreme distress, sometime resulting in psychological, physiological and/or behavioural change. |
| Validation | A communication method that recognises the experiences a person is having and validates their emotions in the place, time, or situation where they are and helps the person work through their feelings. Attributed to the work of Naomi Feil. |
| Vascular dementia | A form of dementia caused when decrease blood flow damages brain tissue. A common form of vascular dementia is where mini strokes occur in the brain. |
| Virtual Classroom | An online platform to host training sessions. Typically uses Zoom, MS Teams or a similar virtual meeting platform. Engagement is to be interactive and not passive (like a webinar). |
| Volunteer | Unpaid partners in care and valued members of the care team. |
| Wandering | Wandering occurs when a person living with dementia roams around and becomes lost or confused about their location. |
| Webinar | Short online sessions usually lasting between 30 and 90 minutes. The content is focused and concise, often centred around a specific topic or issue. The goal of a webinar is to deliver information quickly and efficiently. |
| Workshop | One-time events, focused on a particular area of knowledge or topic. Workshops are hands-on and interactive, emphasising practical application over theory. They often involve group activities, discussions, and collaborative tasks. The goal of a workshop is to provide participants with practical skills or knowledge that can be immediately applied. |
| Young-onset dementia | Dementia that effects people between the ages of 18 and 65. |
DTA Frequently-Used Acronyms
| Acronym | Definition |
|---|---|
| ABCDE Approach | Antecedent, Behaviour, Consequence, Develop, Evaluate. The ABCDE approach is a tool used to identify triggers to behaviour. The aim is to identify the cause of the changed behaviour and then match appropriate strategies. |
| ACQSC | Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission |
| ADL | Activity of Daily Living |
| AJDC | Australian Journal of Dementia Care |
| AN-ACC | Australian National Aged Care Classification funding model |
| AWP | Activity Work Plan |
| BEAT-D | Built Environment Assessment Tool - Dementia (The EAT and EAT-HC in app form). |
| BPSD | Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms in Dementia. This is the medical term for changed behaviours. |
| CALD | Culturally And Linguistically Diverse |
| CB | Changed Behaviour |
| CBC | Changed Behaviour Consultancy |
| CoP | Community of Practice |
| CRM | Customer Relationship Management |
| CT | Commissioned Training |
| DA | Dementia Australia |
| DA CDL | Dementia Australia Centre for Dementia Learning. Sometimes referred to as simply CDL. |
| DE | Dementia Essentials. Delivered by Dementia Australia Centre for Dementia Learning (RTO Code 2512) on behalf of DTA. |
| DFC-EAT | Dementia Friendly Communities - Environmental Assessment Tool |
| DoHAC | Department of Health and Aged Care |
| DSA | Dementia Support Australia |
| DSD | Delirium Superimposed on Dementia |
| DSM | Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders |
| DTA | Dementia Training Australia |
| DTA LERG | Dementia Training Australia - Living Experience Reference Group. DTA recognises and values the living experience expertise of people diagnosed with dementia and their carers or support partners. The involvement of people living with dementia in program design, development, and delivery will make DTA training more relevant, engaging, and effective, and will deliver stronger capacity building outcomes. |
| DTAG | Dementia Training Advisory Group. Help make a difference for people living with dementia. The DTAG will support regional and remote areas, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, and Indigenous health care settings by evaluating training materials and developing new initiatives. |
| EAT | Environmental Assessment Tool |
| EAT-AC | Environmental Assessment Tool - Acute Care |
| EAT-HC | Environmental Assessment Tool - Higher Care |
| EC | Environments Consultancy |
| EN | Enrolled Nurse |
| IEAT | Indigenous Environmental Assessment Tool |
| ISO | Information Systems Officer |
| KT | Knowledge translation |
| LGBTI | Note about leaving out the 'Q' |
| LMS | Learning Management System |
| LP | Learning Pathways |
| LTU | La Trobe University |
| MMC | Medication Management Consultancy |
| MMM | Modified Monash Model |
| NDB | Need-Driven Behaviour model |
| NDETSF | National Dementia Education and Training Standards Framework. Also known within DTA as the Standards Framework. |
| NTAS | National Training Advisory Service |
| OPAN | The Older Persons Advocacy Network |
| PCC | Person-Centred Care |
| PIECES mnemonic | Physical cause, Intellectual capacity, Emotional health, Capability, Environment, Social self. As with the ABC approach, the PIECES mnemonic provides a useful memory aid for thinking about changed behaviours. Each letter refers to an area requiring assessment and management, taking into account social and cultural factors causing issues for the person and/or family, and the person’s usual routines, familiar practices, language and preferences. |
| PLST | Progressively Lowered Stress Threshold |
| PMC | Pain Management Consultancy |
| PSC | Product and Services Catalogue |
| QRG | Quick Reference Guide |
| QUT | Queensland University of Technology |
| RAC | Residential Aged Care |
| RACF | Residential Aged Care Facility |
| RN | Registered Nurse |
| S&S | Service and Support |
| SA | Service Agreement |
| SME | Subject Matter Expert |
| TEM | Training Enquiry Management |
| UOW | University of Wollongong |
| UTAS | University of Tasmania |
| UWA | University of Western Australia |
| VDB | Vocally Disruptive Behaviour. This refers to making sound with the voice that causes stress within the person’s environment. The term ‘disruptive’ is based on the perception of others. |