In early September we had the pleasure of welcoming a distinguished delegation from Taiwan to Sydney. The group included representatives from the Taiwanese Ministry of Health and Welfare, national organisations, and leading researchers who are actively shaping policy and advancing the future of dementia care. 

The visit included stops at our St Leonards office and Miranda site, where the delegates learned about The Dementia Centre and gained insights into care practices in Australia. The two-day visit was designed to showcase our world-renowned and innovative approaches to dementia and palliative care, explore our residential homes, and gain insight into the different teams and how they work together to deliver world-class care.

Day 1: St Leonards Office  

The delegates began their visit at our St Leonards office with lunch and an introduction to our story and mission, shared by Marie Alford (GM, Growth & Innovation). They then heard from Isabelle Meyer, Executive Director of Dementia Training Australia (DTA), before stepping into DTA’s Virtual Reality environment, a powerful experience that offered deep insight into the daily realities of people living with dementia. It highlighted how small, thoughtful changes can make a world of difference in someone’s everyday life. 

Day 2: Miranda 

On the second day of the visit, delegates travelled to Miranda, where they were welcomed by Jesse Wark, (Head of Operations – Central, Residential Care), who introduced them to our Model of Care. This was followed by an insightful presentation from Daniel Jameson, (Design Lead), on dementia design principles. Delegates then toured Miranda’s Scarborough dementia cottages and explored the high-rise dementia care model within the Mason building. 

The delegates were excited to see the design principles in action at Miranda and were particularly intrigued by the high-rise model demonstrated within the Mason building. With Taiwan’s high population density and limited availability of land, this approach sparked meaningful conversation and engagement on how we approach to design can be translated into different environments. 

Leah Asensio (GM Learning & Development) enlightened the group on our approach to staff capability and learning development, while Felicity Burns (Exec GM Healthcare & Hospitals) gave an overview of our palliative care approach. The afternoon sessions focused on supporting carers at home with a presentation from Evelyn O’Leary, (General Manager Centres & ILUS), exploring evolving household model designs, and independent living concepts. Delegates also heard from Marie Alford on Dementia Support Australia, and from Chris Poulos (Director Positive Ageing Research Program), on strategic insights from the Hammond Centre. 

A recurring theme throughout the day was the mission of people-based care. It came through clearly in every part of the organisation -from the way support is delivered on the ground, right through to the work happening in IT and research. Putting people at the centre of everything we do wasn’t just talked about - it was lived. 

Looking Ahead 

This visit was more than an introduction and tour, it was a meaningful exchange of ideas, values and insights. We’re grateful to our Taiwanese colleagues for taking the time to visit us and acknowledging our global leadership in the dementia and palliative care spaces. We look towards making the connections we built over these two days meaningful and collaborative as we continue to help improve the lives of those living with dementia and in palliative care, and those who care for them across both countries.  

A heartfelt thank you to Dr. Tsuann Kuo, who first led a student delegation to Sydney in 2019 and now returns in a distinguished new role. Appointed by Taiwan’s Ministry of Health and Welfare, Dr. Kuo lead this high-level delegation focused on dementia innovation.