Leading dementia research
The Dementia Centre leads and collaborates in multidisciplinary research to make a positive impact on people living with dementia, their families and the people who care for them.
Our research is focused on improving the quality of life and quality of care of people living with dementia. This research aims to benefit not only people supported by our services but all people living with dementia in Australia and worldwide.
Our focus areas
Behaviours and psychological symptoms of dementia
We investigate the context, experience, assessment, treatment and support for people experiencing dementia related behaviours and psychological symptoms.Innovative care
We investigate person-centred, enabling and dignifying innovative solutions to support people living with dementia.
Aged care services
We investigate the aged care experience for people living with dementia; from post-diagnostic service access, to home care, residential and palliative care supports.
Big data
Leveraging large and internationally unprecedented datasets, we enthusiastically pursue analyses and data linkages to better understand the experiences and care outcomes for people living with dementia.
Environmental design
We investigate the important role of the built environment in providing an enabling, familiar and optimal experience to maximise quality of life and improve clinical outcomes.
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Clinical trials
Our clinical trials focus on testing the effectiveness of medication for Alzheimer's disease, dementia and other related conditions. Our teams collaborate with trial sponsors and dementia researchers worldwide and participants gain access to new treatments and learn about ways to live well with dementia.
Learn morePartner with us
The Dementia Centre and HammondCare support research designed to improve quality of life for people living with dementia, their families and caregivers. If you are interested in partnering with us on research, we want to hear from you.
Research with usOur recent research
Showing the Way Project
People living with dementia frequently experience levels of disability in excess of what might be expected from their condition. This excess disability is often imposed upon them through poor environments.
There is anecdotal evidence that appropriate dementia-enabling signage increases the independence of people living with dementia, and helps them live with greater dignity and safety.
However, the language used when discussing signage and wayfinding can be ambiguous. There is no agreed method of evaluating what good signage for people with dementia is, or where it’s most appropriate to use signage.
The overall study aim was to develop an evaluative framework to:
- Evaluate and test the efficacy of signage for people living with dementia
- Guide the development of new forms of signage for use in dementia and aged care settings, and the wider community.
Guided by Excellence Project
The aim of the Guided By Excellence Project was to investigate:
- Adherence and impact of the Clinical Practice Guidelines and Principles of Care for People with Dementia in Dementia Support Australia (DSA) service delivery
- How they are appreciated and implemented by external stakeholders using DSA services.
We produced the following findings from our research:
- DSA delivers evidence-based care recommendations that show a high degree of adherence with Clinical Practice Guidelines and Principles of Care for People with Dementia.
- Referrers into DSA consider evidence as vital to DSA recommendations, but the level of that evidence varied widely.
- Strong and clear communication between DSA Dementia Consultants and referrers was important in establishing a foundation of trust on the suitability and efficacy of recommendations.
- The Guidelines are often unknown or considered impractical by staff in residential care. DSA Dementia Consultants are considered enablers in translating these guidelines into practice.
Intervene Project
In undertaking pilot research in Intervene Phase 1 during 2014 and 2015, The Dementia Centre identified issues of staff communication, limited interdisciplinary collaboration and inconsistent use of assessment tools as barriers to evidence-based pain management in residential aged care services.
Intervene Phase 2 was a follow-on implementation project between 2016 and 2018, designed to address these issues. The Dementia Centre research team worked with staff at four residential aged care sites in Australia to critique their current approaches to pain management and to co-create strategies for improvement.
Outputs of Intervene Phase 2 have been synthesised and developed into resources which can be used to implement best practice pain management in residential aged care. These resources include an educational booklet, pain management protocol and assessment tools.
The project was funded through the Cognitive Decline Partnership Centre.
Evaluation of Dementia Friendly Communities in Scotland
In 2019, our team was commissioned to undertake a two-year independent evaluation of the Life Changes Trust’s Dementia Friendly Communities programme.
The Life Changes Trust in Scotland supports people living with dementia and unpaid carers in the community through a range of projects. Using a person-centred approach, the Trust aims to transform the lives of people living with dementia and unpaid carers with sustainable improvements in quality of life. The Life Changes Trust has been investing in Dementia Friendly Communities (DFCs) since 2015 and has now funded 40 different communities across Scotland.
Over the two-year project, both geographic and interest-based DFCs were evaluated, providing key learnings and recommendations for policy makers, health services and DFCs in Scotland. The evaluation also addressed the wider societal benefits.
The Dementia Friendly Communities Model was designed to ensure the outcomes of the evaluation could be understood and applied in a practical and sustainable way into the future. The model outlines three key elements that need to be present for a sustainable and successful DFC.
Dementia news and knowledge
25 July 2024 | Article
Language barriers could contribute to higher aggression in people with dementia
Meet our researchers
Our lead researchers come from a wide variety of academic, clinical and service backgrounds and disciplines, each focused increasing understanding of dementia on improving quality of life for people living with dementia.
A/Prof. Colm Cunningham
Executive Director, Research, International & Dementia Design
Academic Lead, Complex Dementia and International Research
Outside of his position with HammondCare, Colm sits as an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney. Colm is widely published in the areas of pain management in dementia, environmental design that supports people with dementia, dementia and delirium, behaviours and psychological symptoms of dementia, dementia and intellectual disabilities and night care.
Dr Tom Morris
Head of Research & Information Excellence
Dr Tom Morris is Head of Research & Information Excellence for The Dementia Centre, HammondCare, an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the Sydney School of Public Health at the University of Sydney and an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Health of the University of Canberra. He is a clinical neuropsychologist, researcher and analyst with over 10 years’ experience in ageing and dementia. Tom is responsible for three portfolios that support the characterisation, understanding, and wellbeing of older adults and people living with dementia.
These teams include an Information Insights team that drive analyses and evaluations of aged care services, a Research team that supports academic research in the area of complex dementia, and a Research Governance team that is responsible for the oversight of organisational research activities and governance across HammondCare.
A/Prof Steve Macfarlane
Head of Clinical Services
A/Prof Macfarlane coordinates DSA’s specialist clinical support team while applying his 20 years’ experience to conduct clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease.
Prior to joining The Dementia Centre in 2016, A/Prof Macfarlane was appointed the Director of Aged Psychiatry at Peninsula Health. He is a qualified geriatric psychiatrist.
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