With more than 50 million people currently living with dementia, an alarmingly growing figure that is said to triple by 2050, Community Vision is excited to announce a partnership with Dementia Doulas International, offering a brand new service to Western Australians facing the difficult path of dealing with a loved one living with dementia. Viewing dementia care from a new perspective, trained Community Vision staff will raise the bar in compassionate care in the dementia space, providing support, information education, liaison and advocacy to those without a voice, from post-diagnosis through to the bereavement stage.
In a first for WA, Dementia Doulas International has conducted a four-day training course with five Community Vision staff. All are now qualified Dementia Doulas offering individualised care throughout the entire dementia journey with a focus on ensuring end-of-life plans are in place. Now trained Community Vision staff have a much deeper understanding of the dementia journey, can initiate early future planning conversations and incorporate creative ways to care, becoming an ongoing support for families.
Dementia Doulas International came to life in 2019 to better meet the needs of those impacted by advancing dementia. Whilst many aged care, disability, mental health, and end-of-life services are accessible, there is no other stand-alone service currently offering a dementia specific program such as this, tailored to the individual and family needs based on what stage of the illness they are at.
Previously only a service offered in South Australia, the two businesses met at a conference in 2023, sharing a mutual passion to keep customers in the aged care and disability space who are living with dementia, in their homes and connected with their families and community, for as long as possible.
Dementia Doulas International Managing Director Wendy Hall said, “Through the training of Community Vision staff as Dementia Doulas, with staff already known to their clients and families living with cognitive changes means community dementia care is taken to a whole new level. To have a new leadership role emerging in compassionate care raises the bar for what clients should expect from their service provider.”
Community Vision CEO Yvonne Timson said, “By offering this service we can better prepare families for what’s to come and ensure it’s a more loving and caring journey. Having trained dementia doulas means our customers have more choice, dignity and control over their lives, something I firmly believe in offering.”
Yvonne adds, “This partnership is also about our staff, giving them the training and the tools to do their jobs well and help families through the journey of dementia. We want Community Vision staff to be part of our customers’ families, not just a business or service that comes and goes.”
Community Vision is committed to servicing customers of all ages and abilities in dementia care. In 2018 they launched the A Roast to Remember dementia fundraising initiative which resulted in a community dementia bus. The dementia bus focuses on the wider community who don’t have immediate access to local dementia services.
