Webinar: Dementia and Behaviour Support Plans

Professor Beattie is a gerontologist and psychogeriatric nurse educated in Australia, the UK and the US who has been involved in dementia-focused clinical practice, education, research and evaluation for more than three decades.

She has an international nursing leadership profile, a sustained record of competitive research funding and publication, and serves on a number of ageing and dementia-focused committees and editorial boards.

Much of Professor Beattie’s work with Dementia Training Australia involves developing training and resources to assist the aged care workforce in understanding responsive behaviours.

Marie Alford is the Head of Business Development for The Dementia Centre, HammondCare. Having worked in behaviour support programs since the early Commonwealth initiatives, she led the rollout of Dementia Support Australia, a HammondCare led partnership delivering the National Severe Behaviour Response Teams, the national Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service and the new Needs Based Assessment Program for determining eligibility for Specialist Dementia Care Programs.

Her work also includes the development of stakeholder and special needs groups strategy for DSA and the implementation of international programs.

Previously heading up operations for the Dementia Centre, HammondCare she was also involved in the development of programs such as Dogs4Dementia and the launch of a range of commercial programs including international Dining and Design Schools.

Garrie O’Toole is a Facilitator and Team Leader at Dementia Australia and has worked to improve the support of people with dementia and their carers for nearly twenty years. He is a Registered Nurse, and has worked in acute care, residential aged care and the community care sectors. He has also had extensive experience in the education of healthcare workers in the university, VET, and industry training environments. For the past five years, his focus has been the support of aged care providers in implementing evidence based, sustainable practice change that empowers staff to enable people with cognitive impairment to live full and purposeful lives.

Dr Sykes leads Dementia Australia’s Centre for Dementia Learning which has been at the forefront of learning technologies including the multi award-winning Virtual Dementia Experience and the Educational Dementia Immersive Experience (EDIE). The team was recently awarded Victorian Small Training Provider of the Year.

Dr Sykes was involved in the establishment of the Victorian Disability Services Commissioner, worked for 10 years with the Office of the Public Advocate, is a graduate of the Williamson Community Leadership Program, and completed his doctorate on the development of a model of advocacy practice for working with people with a cognitive disability.

As Director of Dementia Training Australia, Dr Sykes is responsible for Dementia Essentials, DTA’s nationally accredited course for workers who support people living with dementia.