The Dementia Podcast
Professor Colm Cunningham
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Top 10 The Dementia Podcast Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best The Dementia Podcast episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to The Dementia Podcast for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite The Dementia Podcast episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Talking Dementia: Would I lie to you?
The Dementia Podcast
03/09/21 • 24 min
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' .
For all feedback please email [email protected]
Talking First Nations: The importance of culturally and spiritually aware care (Revisited)
The Dementia Podcast
06/02/22 • 34 min
In National Reconciliation Week: Be Brave Make Change, we wanted to reshare one of our episodes of ‘The Dementia Podcast’ from last year celebrating the history, culture and achievements of First Nations peoples.
Joining Colm in this episode, HammondCare CEO Mike Baird shares what reconciliation means to HammondCare and why it is important to embark on the journey of reconciliation, acknowledging their role in caring for all people, including First Nations people living with dementia, and the development of a Reconciliation Action Plan.
Colm then introduces an expert panel as they explore the care considerations for First Nations peoples with a particular focus on dementia care. Members of this panel include; Professor Dawn Bessarab, a Bard/Yindijibarndi woman, Director of the Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health at the University of Western Australia, Stephanie Charlesworth, a Dementia Consultant from SA who has worked with First Nations communities and organisations in the NT, and Meghan Heatrick a Dementia Consultant who’s worked in greater Sydney, Alice Springs and other communities and is currently studying a master's in Indigenous Health.
Together this group, discusses the current environment of care of First Nations peoples, what quality of life and care means for First Nations peoples and how this can be different from the general Australian population.
DSA has free downloadable resources for use when caring for a First Nations person living with dementia. These resources have been co-designed in consultation with DSA Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander expert review panel and champions group.
You can access here the ‘Good Sprit Good Life’ assessment tool developed by Dawn and the team at ‘Aboriginal Ageing Well Research’ as well as information on how to be involved in their research and further validation of this tool.
The 'Little Red Yellow Black Book' is a suggested resource by the panel as a guide to the rich cultures and histories of Australia’s First Peoples.
For all feedback please email [email protected]
Talking Design: Air Quality, Acoustics and Dementia
The Dementia Podcast
12/14/21 • 25 min
It was a chance meeting with Mary Marshall in 1993, the then Professor at the University of Stirling and Director of the Dementia Services Development Centre, that inspired Annie and Ricky Pollock to introduce the principles of designing for people with dementia into all their projects.
In this episode of the Dementia Podcast “Talking Design: Air Quality, Acoustics, and Dementia”, Colm is joined by Annie and Ricky to announce the launch of two new books by the husband and wife team, “A Breath of Fresh Air” by Annie Pollock and “Acoustics in Aged Care” by Richard Pollock.
Annie is an award-winning landscape architect with a particular interest in designing outdoor spaces for people living with dementia and the impact of poor air quality in the spaces we live, especially as we age. Ricky formed the architectural and planning consultancy firm Burnett Pollock Associates which specialises in the research and design of enabling care environments for people with dementia.
Colm joins Annie and Ricky at their home in Edinburgh Scotland to talk about their new books, discuss how air quality and acoustics can impact the quality of life of a person living with dementia and give us practical advice on what we can do to improve the air quality and acoustics in environments where people with dementia live.
A Breath of Fresh Air is also available as a free online download
To purchase your printed copy of A Breath of Fresh Air on the HammondCare eShop today
Acoustics in Aged Care is available as a free online download
To purchase your printed copy of Acoustics in Aged Care on the HammondCare eShop today
Additional resources
The Room Outside by Annie Pollock and Colm Cunningham
The Dementia Centre: DeMEntia Design School resources
Talking Clinical Trials: Participant's experience and perspective
The Dementia Podcast
10/07/21 • 23 min
Join Colm, Professor Steve Macfarlane, Maree Mastwyk, Trish and John as they discuss the personal and professional characteristics of a clinical trial.
Professor Steve Macfarlane is the Head of Clinical Services at HammondCare's Dementia Centre and his colleague, Maree Mastwyk is a Team leader of Clinical trials. Together they define clinical trials in a professional context and provide their expertise on how to operate a clinical trial.
John, a person living with dementia and his partner Trish are both currently on a clinical trial. They describe their personal experiences of this trial.
The Australian Clinical Trials Alliance’s ‘Report on the Activities & Achievements of Clinical Trials Networks in Australia’ and an article by the Western Alliance are informative resources on the operations of clinical trials in Australia.
Policy & Medicine’s article 'The Importance of Clinical Trials' explains the impact of clinical trials in America.
ANZCTR is an online registry for of clinical trials being undertaken predominately in Australia and New Zealand, and to a smaller extent other parts of the globe. This link connects you to a similar network in the America and here is a dementia research registry located in the United Kingdom.
*We would like to acknowledge as clinical best practise is continuously evolving that the comments made in this episode is reflective of the period leading up to the 7th of October.
Below we have listed the definitions of some terms mentioned in this episode:
Efficacious: Something is able to produce its intended result.
Placebo: A substance given to someone who is told that it is a particular medicine, either to make that person feel as if they are getting better or to compare the effect of the particular medicine when given to others.
Sponsor: Any individual or group that provides financial or material support to a study or endeavour in return for commercial advertisement.
Comparator: The comparator study is used to compare the effectiveness of the investigational product to the existing drug.
Tolerability: Represents the degree to which overt adverse effects can be tolerated by the subject/patient.
Con-meds: Concomitant medications (con-meds) are any prescription or over-the-counter drugs and supplements taken in addition to an investigational therapy by a study subject.
Proof of concept: Proof of concept (POC) is an exercise in which work is focused on determining whether an idea can be turned into a reality. A proof of concept is meant to determine the feasibility of the idea or to verify that the idea will function as envisioned. It is sometimes also known as proof of principle.
Adverse events: An unexpected medical problem that happens during treatment with a drug or other therapy. Adverse events may be mild, moderate, or severe, and may be caused by something other than the drug or therapy being given. Also called adverse effect.
For all feedback please email [email protected]
Understanding Behaviour: A Clinician's Perspective
The Dementia Podcast
02/04/21 • 25 min
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.
For all feedback please email [email protected]
Welcome to The Dementia Podcast
The Dementia Podcast
12/02/20 • 6 min
Join Associate Professor Colm Cunningham the Director of The Dementia Centre , HammondCare as he introduces the Dementia Podcast.
In this episode, Colm outlines the values, intention and direction of the Dementia Podcast. He summarises this podcast as a whole and identifies the key considerations for current and prospective listeners.
You also have opportunity to hear some background about Colm, his extensive career in supporting people in need and what inspired him to create the Dementia Podcast.
L'Arche International is an organisation that celebrates and supports people with intellectual disabilities.
We welcome any feedback on this episode or the Dementia Podcast to be emailed to [email protected]
Talking Arts: What is Arts Engagement?
The Dementia Podcast
03/31/22 • 34 min
On this episode of the Dementia Podcast, Colm chats with Michelle Heldon, Art and Dementia Coordinator for the Museum of Contemporary Art, Australia and Lead Artist for the Arts Engagement team at HammondCare.
In the episode Michelle chats with Colm about family inspiration, the benefits of art expression in Dementia Care and anecdotes from her time working in remote communities around the world.
In addition, Michelle shares the challenges that COVID brought to the Arts Engagement program but also new opportunities the digital space brought to the program.
A key point mentioned by Michelle was the role of play in art and in care. One of the resources mentioned regarding this was the book Playfulness and Dementia: A Practice Guide by John Killick.
If you’d like to hear more in our Talking Art series you can tune in to the episode, Talking Arts: A child’s storybook creating-conversation
Podcast quick fact: Eudaimonia – The human condition of human flourishing or living well.
Additional resources:
HammondCare’s Arts on Prescription Program
Reactions of Persons with Dementia to Singing from People
Artful: Art and Dementia – MCA Australia
Talking Toilets: Continence and the bidet
The Dementia Podcast
01/19/22 • 21 min
Meredith Gresham returns to chat with Colm in our very first episode for 2022.
In today’s episode, Colm and Meredith talk about toilets. Since continence is a major issue in residential and home care, they discuss strategies and tips on how best to provide accessible and hygienic care.
Meredith’s last episode on the podcast, Talking Design: Why it can ‘provoke’ behaviour touched on design principles and once again they discuss simple and effective ways to aid a person with dementia this time focusing on the process during toileting.
Often the role of a carer in toileting is a difficult one to manage and Meredith offers a potential look at an alternative method in relation to bidets. They discuss the use of bidets in a care setting and the surprisingly positive and rapid uptake and acceptance by residents and carers. For more on the use of Bidets in care we have a three-part video series that can be accessed here - https://www.dementiacentre.com/resources/knowledge-hub/news/150-toilet-talk-accessible-design-for-people-with-dementia
In addition, Meredith outlines potentially other advantages of the bidet, such as a more hygienic and comfortable experience for the person using the toilet, which in turn may aid continence.
For more about accessibility in toilet design we’d love for you to have a look at our free Toilet Talk resource from the Dementia Design Essentials.
Talking Design: Why it can ‘provoke’ behaviour
The Dementia Podcast
06/23/21 • 35 min
Join Colm, Liz Fuggle and Meredith Gresham in their exploration of the influence of dementia design on behaviours and psychological symptoms of dementia. Liz is a UK registered architect who specialises in designing for those living with Dementia and is a design consultant at HammondCare. Meredith Gresham, a trained occupational therapist, is a researcher at the University of New South Wales, in the field of Aged Health Care, Geriatrics and Gerontology.
This panel examines design in a range of dementia care settings, with a focus on residential care. Together, they examine the relationship between dementia design and good dementia care practices. Overarchingly they share the impact of poor dementia design on the behaviours of those living with dementia through the scope of colour, size, visibility and accessibility.
The research article ‘Wayfinding for People with Dementia: A Review of the Role of Architectural Design’ provides information on architectural wayfinding design for people with dementia in nursing homes.
The award-winning report World Alzheimer Report 2020: Design Dignity Dementia: dementia-related design and the built environment, provides insight into dementia design principles and practice.
Meredith’s paper, Pre and Post occupancy Evaluation of New Dementia Care Cottages and the paper Clustered domestic residential aged care in Australia: fewer hospitalisations and better quality of life closely examine the design of residential care settings.
Flinders University paper, Clustered domestic residential aged care in Australia: fewer hospitalisations and better quality of life compares size and space.
Thank you to 'Total Construction' for their sponsorship of this episode.
For all feedback please email [email protected]
Talking Music: Dementia friendly singing groups and choirs (Part 2)
The Dementia Podcast
06/10/21 • 22 min
Join Colm and Diana Kerr, as they continue their discussion on the importance of music in the care of someone living with dementia. Diana is an experienced practitioner, researcher, educator and trainer in the field of dementia and learning disability and has spent much of her career advocating for the use of music in improving wellbeing of people with dementia. She 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.
This conversation unpacks the elements of involving people with dementia in choirs and singing groups. Together they describe how to make these groups dementia friendly, the factors involved in the operation of these groups and how to ensure they are meaningful and engaging for those living and caring for someone with dementia. Diana and Colm share the unique stories of members of these groups which showcase how music is truly integral to the care of a person with dementia and their loved ones.
This episode is sponsored by HammondCare Publishing .
Diana’s book 'Singing Groups for people with Dementia' is a guide to setting up and running groups in both community and residential settings.
The editorial 'The Unforgettables: a chorus for people with dementia with their family members and friends' evaluated a museum program that created a chorus for people with dementia and their family caregivers that rehearsed and performed regularly.
The research article 'Remini-Sing: A Feasibility Study of Therapeutic Group Singing to Support Relationship Quality and Wellbeing for Community-Dwelling People Living With Dementia and Their Family Caregivers' provides important evidence on the positive effects of singing groups.
'Does a ‘Singing Together Group’ improve the quality of life of people with a dementia and their carers? A pilot evaluation study' is another piece of evidence that unpacks the effects of singing groups.
For all feedback please email [email protected]
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FAQ
How many episodes does The Dementia Podcast have?
The Dementia Podcast currently has 39 episodes available.
What topics does The Dementia Podcast cover?
The podcast is about Dementia, Health & Fitness, Design, Mental Health and Podcasts.
What is the most popular episode on The Dementia Podcast?
The episode title 'Dementia and Difference' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on The Dementia Podcast?
The average episode length on The Dementia Podcast is 24 minutes.
How often are episodes of The Dementia Podcast released?
Episodes of The Dementia Podcast are typically released every 14 days.
When was the first episode of The Dementia Podcast?
The first episode of The Dementia Podcast was released on Dec 2, 2020.
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