Year
2021
Units
4.5
Contact
1 x 9-hour independent study weekly
1 x 2-hour on-line exercises weekly
1 x 2-hour on-line lecture weekly
5 x 1-hour on-line tutorials per semester
Prerequisites
^ = may be enrolled concurrently
1 Admission into BHA-Bachelor of Healthy Ageing
2 ^ AGES1001 - Foundation Skills in Ageing Studies
3 Admission into other Bachelor courses
4 Admission into DIPACDS-Diploma in Aged Care and Disability Support
Must Satisfy: ((1 and 2) or (3) or (4))
Assessment
Assignment(s); Test(s); Tutorial Participation; Tutorial Presentation.
Topic description

Most discussions of dementia focus on the 'condition' and a set of symptoms dominated by distressed or responsive behaviour. This topic invites students to explore the human experience of those who live with dementia and those who support them and provide care to them. Beginning with an overview of the conditions known broadly as 'dementia', the topic will focus on the experience of dementia from the perspective of the person with dementia, from the family perspective and from the perspective of professional care providers. Examining the concerns, needs and experiences from each perspective will provide a unique approach for students to gain understanding that will underpin the development of skills essential for engaging with and supporting people with dementia as well as those who live and work with them.

Educational aims

This topic aims to provide students with a foundation to build capacity in understanding the experience of dementia from the perspectives of the people with dementia and others involved in their lives. Students will develop skills in critical thinking and analysis of current issues and in collaborative and culturally responsive approaches to understanding the experience of dementia that will inform practice.

Expected learning outcomes
On completion of this topic you will be expected to be able to:

  1. Describe the most common types of conditions under the umbrella term ‘dementia’
  2. Identify the societal context in which individuals, families, informal supporters and professional carers experience dementia
  3. Apply critical thinking to how people living with dementia describe their experiences of everyday life
  4. Explain the nature of relationships between the person with dementia and families/friends on the journey through to end of life
  5. Compare and contrast the experiences and perspectives of families or other informal supporters of the person with dementia and professional carers experiences and perspectives
  6. Demonstrate a capacity for cultural responsiveness to support personhood and engage in respectful communication with people with dementia and their families