The Dementia Podcast

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Join Colm and Diana Kerr, an experienced practitioner, researcher, educator and trainer in the field of dementia and learning disability who has spent much of her career advocating for the use of music with people with dementia. Diana was previously the Course Director for the MSc in Dementia Studies at the University of Stirling, Research Fellow at the Centre for Research on Families and Relationships at the University of Edinburgh and an associate consultant to HammondCare. Together they share the importance of music and advice on how to use music as a tool for connection, reminiscence, support and enjoyment for those living with dementia and their loved ones. 

This episode is sponsored by HammondCare Publishing . 

'Music Remembers Me' is a resource which equips those living with dementia and those who support them with positive, meaningful ways of using music to enjoy their time together. 

'Purple Angel' is a dementia awareness program that educates the community and local businesses on how to assist those living with dementia. 

'Playlist For Life' is a charity which offers support to those living with dementia and their carers to create a music playlist. 

This guide breaks down the steps involved in creating a playlist for someone living with dementia.

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*May contain sensitive material. Content is not direct medical advice, for medical advice please contact your general practitioner regarding your particular situation. 

Join Colm and an expert panel in their discussion of the appropriate use of medication in the treatment of behaviours and psychological symptoms of dementia. This conversation is framed within the acknowledgment that medication is often used inappropriately in dementia care and notes how in the treatment of behaviours and psychological symptoms of dementia nonpharmacological interventions are the 'gold standard'. Within this, the panel shares their considerations on when the use of psychotropic medications are appropriate and the importance of tailoring medications to the individual, and treatment of specific symptoms. 

Members of this panel include; Associate Professor Steve MacFarlane, geriatric psychiatrist, and Head of Clinical Services at The Dementia Centre, Professor Susan Kurrle, geriatrician at Hornsby Ku-Ring-Gai Hospital and Curran Professor in Health Care of Older People at the University of Sydney, and John Nadjarian, Special Care Manager at Linden Cottage, HammondCare.

This episode is sponsored by Dementia Support Australia (DSA). 

There are the Clinical practice guidelines and principles of care for people with dementia and the Dementia: assessment, management and support for people living with dementia and their carers guidelines to facilitate understanding of advice for the care of those living with dementia. 

Research that underpins the discussion includes: 

• When responsive and reactive meet organic? Treatment implications of language use in the era of #BanBPSD
•  Evaluating the clinical impact of national dementia behaviour support programs on neuropsychiatric outcomes in Australia 
•  The use of antipsychotic medication for people with dementia, Time for action.

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Join Colm and Professor Mary Marshall OBE as they continue their discussion of her pioneering career in improving dementia care services. This episode focuses closely on Mary’s work in dementia design, sharing her learnings of how the built environment impacts the quality of life of a person with dementia and best practice tips on enabling design. Mary’s expertise stems from her sixteen years spent as a professor at the University of Stirling where she was the Director of the Dementia Services Development Centre and her current position as a Senior Consultant with The Dementia Centre. 

This episode is sponsored by Total Construction 

The paper 'Dementia Design Principles Review' provides information Dementia design principles and their subsequent evolution. 

Access videos and information on the Alzheimers Disease International report here . 

Free Download of  Mary’s books ‘Design for Dementia’, ‘Talking Murals’ and 'Toilet Talk'

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Join Colm and Professor Mary Marshall OBE, professor Emeritus at the University of Stirling where she was the director of the Dementia Services Development Centre for 16 years. Mary now writes and lectures on dementia care, with a focus on design of enabling environments and is a senior consultant with The Dementia Centre. Together they explore Mary’s rich life of activism, social work, care for others and radical strength that resulted in a diverse and pioneering career in dementia care. This episode reflects how a person’s spirit can make an everlasting change. 

This episode is sponsored by Total Construction . 

This is a compilation of testimonials for Mary’s career.

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Join Colm and Professor John Swinton, the Chair in Divinity and Religious Studies at the school of Divinity, History and Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen, as they discuss the meaning of being present for somebody with dementia. Together, they explain the principals of presence, its importance to caring for a person with dementia and how it is limited by the attributes of current society. This episode is a commentary on the elements of communication within humanity and their subsequent impact on care. 

“That is what presence teaches you, how you can be with people in these moments, to learn from that moment that actually there is so much more to this individual than you think there is and to take that learning back into your practise” 

This episode is sponsored by the HammondCare Foundation . 

The story of Gladys Wilson and Naomi Feil is an amazing example of the profound impacts of presence in care. 

To delve further in faith based resources there are the 'Faith for Life' resources. 

To support those with dementia to connect to faith, especially during this pandemic, there is this helpsheet . 

John Swinton’s book 'Dementia: Living in the Memories of God' provides useful insight into the relationship between dementia and faith.

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Join Colm as he debates ‘white lies’ in dementia care with HammondCare CEO Mike Baird, Chief Operating and Risk Officer Angela Raguz and care staff Donna and Rafaella. This episode explores circumstances when a carer or family member might feel it appropriate to lie to someone with dementia. ‘Would I lie to you’ dissects the term ‘white lies’ and examines how some common care practises are fundamentally lies. Together this panel provides advice through real life examples, demonstrating how each person with dementia has a unique story and therefore, how their care, including the role of ‘white lies’, must be conducted with a deep understanding of the individual and a team approach between family, friends and care staff.

This episode is sponsored by Dementia Support Australia (DSA). 

To find out more about truth in dementia in a resource from the Mental Health Foundation UK 'What is Truth' and the article 'Lying to people with dementia: developing ethical guidelines for care settings' . 

For a clinical perspective on lies in dementia careyou can read the article from Aging and Mental Health 'Why is dementia different? Medical students' views about deceiving people with dementia' or the research report 'Lying to patients with dementia: Attitudes versus behaviours in nurses'. 

To broaden your understanding on good or ‘white lies’ there is the article titled 'Telling a 'good or white lie': The views of people living with dementia and their carers' .

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Join Colm and author of “Talking Sense: Living with sensory changes and dementia”, Agnes Houston MBE as they discuss sensory changes in dementia, its limited awareness as a symptom in the field of dementia, and the journey to the release of her internationally acclaimed book. Together, they explore Agnes’ journey as a campaigner for the voice of people with dementia, her own dementia diagnosis, and her subsequent search for independence and understanding of sensory changes people with dementia experience. 

“Talking Sense: Living with sensory changes and dementia”, authored by Agnes with Julie Christie outlines Agnes’ experience and provides detailed insight and support to those experiencing sensory changes. As mentioned in this episode, ‘Talking Sense’ is available for free PDF download and for purchase as a print version here and is also available for free audio download. 

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Join Colm and Associate Professor Steve MacFarlane, Head of Clinical Services at The Dementia Centre as they discuss the clinical and pharmacological considerations in the treatment of those who are experiencing behaviours and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Through a balanced discussion they explore the benefits of non-pharmacological approaches to care compared to anti-psychotic medication, appropriate medication use, the importance of person- centred Care, and the Dementia Support Australia program (DSA). 

This episode is sponsored by the HammondCare Foundation.

Find out more about the limiting of drugs in the treatment of changed behaviour in dementia in this article , the  Australian Prescriber, and this report.   

For information on language and changed behaviour for those with dementia there is the editorial titled ‘Language paradigms when behaviour changes with dementia: BanBPSD’  from the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 

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Join Colm as he talks to Gina about the challenging journey of supporting her father Gus through a dementia diagnosis and the subsequent unpredictable search for suitable care. This episode dismantles the stigma toward behaviours in dementia and focuses on the importance of person-centred care. Gina and Gus’ story is a testament to the bonds of family, demonstrating how a child’s love and determination for their parent’s safety and well-being changed both their lives.

“I think what’s important is that your family member, loved one, the person living with dementia feels safe and secure and anywhere that opened a door that offered that would be wonderful.”

This episode is sponsored by the HammondCare Foundation.

Find more information on the Specialist Dementia Care Program (SDPC) here. 

For further support to those who have a loved one in a care home there is this resource .

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In the third and final episode, Talking Christmas: taking care of the carer, Colm focuses on the importance of looking after yourself at this busy time, taking a break, and sharing the caring role with others.  

Colm also discusses the impact of COVID-19 on people with dementia, restrictions that may be in place, and the ability to come together. 

“It was impossible to do this podcast without addressing the impact of COVID-19 in 2020. We finish the Talking Christmas Podcast series with a discussion with Professor Chris Poulos, Head of Research and Aged Care Clinical Services at HammondCare.” 

Chris stresses that it is really important to realise that rules around visiting people in care homes will be different in each State and Territory and even within each State, so people need to check the care homes about their rules around visitors at this time.”