COP D1 Study: A project that is evaluating a Community of Practice (COP) as a strategy to support best practice for people with dementia for whom palliative care is appropriate.
A project funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing’s Local Palliative Care Grants Program will address a palliative approach for people with dementia at the end of life. These people may receive services in the community, in hospital, or in residential care. It is therefore important to address best practice across all these health care sectors and in inter-sector transitions. A local Community of Practice (COP) is proposed as a strategy to achieve this.
Two COPs will each comprise staff from local acute, community, and residential providers plus representation from respite providers and general practice. One COP will be in Perth, Western Australia, the other in Launceston, Tasmania.
The COPs will be supported to (a) identify practice areas that need to be addressed and (b) champion best practice. Evaluations will address practice change; outcomes for people with dementia, their families, and staff/professionals; plus variations in approaches/outcomes between the two geographical areas.
The lead organisation is Alzheimer’s Australia WA (AAWA) and the project leader is Mr David Gribble, General Manager. The principal investigator in WA is Associate Professor Christine Toye from Curtin University, School of Nursing & Midwifery and the Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute (CHIRI). Her co investigators from WA are Professor Barbara Horner (CHIRI); Professor Moyez Jiwa (CHIRI) and Ms Kristi Holloway, PhD candidate and community aged care coordinator (Curtin School of Nursing & Midwifery and CHIRI).
In Tasmania the principal investigator is Professor Andrew Robinson from Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre (WDREC), Menzies Research Institute, University of Tasmania. His co investigators are Associate Professor Fran McInerney (WDREC); Ms Sharon Andrews, Research Fellow (WDREC); Professor Jenny Abbey, Honorary Senior Research Fellow (WDREC); Professor Michael Ashby, Honorary Fellow Menzies Research Institute and Director of Palliative Care, Royal Hobart Hospital and Ms Debbie Slater, Executive Director Alzheimer’s Australia (Tasmania).