Resources

Anthropologist and passionate musician, Dr Simone Marino, described the Co-musichiamo project in aged care, which explores the co-creation of songs and the relevance of music, migration life-storytelling, and first language to support the cultural identity and wellbeing of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds living with dementia.

Researchers at National Ageing Research Institute compare the pre- and post-pandemic ‘rollercoaster’ media coverage of loneliness experienced by older people living in residential aged care and the social support available to them. They find an increased media focus on these issues during the pandemic that needs to translate into ongoing initiatives for improving the mental health and wellbeing of aged care residents.

Kristina Walsh, Flinders University, describes the Compassionate Communities initiative that is promoting a whole of community approach to the end of life where dying, death and grief are a social and collective responsibility.

Despite recent Australian Government-commissioned strategies for fostering inclusion and equity of care, Dr Trish Cain and colleagues from Edith Cowan University explain why many Australian LGBTI older people continue to have negative expectations of aged care service quality.

GENIE is an online repository of national and international evidence-based dementia resources in 68-plus languages. Developed by the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI) and codesigned with providers and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) carers and service providers.

The PowerPoint slides accompanying the Namaste Care Train the Trainer session guides. Written by Dr Sara Karacsony (2021) from School of Nursing, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania .

An educative PowerPoint presentation on the likely trajectory of dementia and the purpose and benefits of a palliative approach in the latter stages. Includes a case study and reflective questions. Written by Dr Melissa Abela of the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania (2021).

This ARIIA document identifies high-quality examples for managing burnout and mental health in organisations outside the aged care sector. These include healthcare, social workers, police officers, paramedics, other first responders, and the military.

No matter what stressors we face at work and home, we need to nurture our own emotional, physical and social health. What techniques can we build into our day so that we don’t just cope, but thrive? The Nurse and Midwife Support website provides helpful advise on Self-care for nurses and midwives.

Many senior Australians may be experiencing grief, loss or bereavement because of COVID-19 impacts. The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement   provides education and training to professionals and consumers on grief and loss and have a number of helpful webinars available on their website.