Untangling Dementia for Occupational Therapists: Learn essential practice skills and enhance your dementia toolkit

INTRODUCTION

This workshop is part of CPD Empower, the must-attend event designed to inspire, connect, and equip you with cutting-edge tools for success.    

CPD Empower offers a series of 2-day and 1-day workshops led by expert presenters, intimate group sizes for meaningful interaction, and stunning venues that foster collaboration, these events are set to reshape your practice. Networking breaks and an evening event provide time to recharge, connect, and share stories with fellow OTs.  

Don’t miss your chance to build new skills, gain fresh perspectives, and connect with a vibrant OT community.   

For more information about CPD Empower, click here  

SESSION OVERVIEW

Occupational therapists play a vital role in dementia care, supporting and empowering people living with dementia and their families to engage in meaningful activities, maintain independence and improve quality of life. This two-day practical focused workshop, delivered by experienced occupational therapists provides the opportunity to build your dementia specific knowledge and skills and elevate your practice. 

You will have the opportunity to: 

• Increase your understanding of different presentations, types and stages of dementia including younger-onset and rare forms of dementia, and how the features of different conditions impact therapeutic approaches and interventions 

• Discuss the rationales, golas and principles of OT assessment of people living with dementia including the rationale, goals and principles, with a focus on community-based practice 

• Explore relevant assessment tools and their use in different dementia conditions and clinical settings  

• Examine a range of evidence-based interventions for people living with dementia and their family/carers and provide practical advice about incorporating these into practice 

• Consider occupational therapy frameworks and models of dementia care with a focus on assisting participants to reframe the OT role in dementia within the broader health and social care system, and reflect on how the profession might better support the needs of people living with dementia (both young and later age of onset) and their families 

• Develop your own dementia toolkit for use in your specific context, drawing on your learnings from the workshop and expertise of the presenters 

By attending this workshop, you will: 

• Learn to recognise the presenting symptoms and trajectories of a range of common and rare dementia conditions, and to identify relevant clinical features to consider in assessment and intervention planning 

• Become familiar with a range of assessment approaches, scales and tools appropriate for use with people at different stages of dementia and learn to select appropriate methods of assessment for different settings, stages and purposes 

• Be able to identify and implement a range of evidence-based interventions appropriate for people at various stages of dementia, with a focus on working in community settings/with clients still living at home 

• Have the opportunity to develop your own toolkit of relevant dementia tools and resources for use in the roles and settings you work 
   

THIS SESSION IS SUITABLE FOR

OTs at foundational or intermediate, interested in increasing their OT specific dementia assessments and intervention skills and knowledge. 

PRESENTERS

            Laine Bradley 

Laine is an experienced occupational therapist who has worked across a range of settings in including public health, community, residential care, NDIS and the private sector. Laine has extensive experience in the assessment and management of cognitive impairment and dementia, and is a Director of Specialist Memory Services, a dementia diagnosis and management service. Laine’s experience includes work as a dementia consultant providing specialist advice and support to clients, families, and staff in managing changes to cognition, behaviour, and complex care issues. With a Master of Clinical Leadership, Laine has delivered dementia education to health professionals and the public. She has a special interest and expertise in rare and young onset dementias and is involved in various projects and initiatives to promote better supports and outcomes for these groups. 

 Rebecca Heine 

Rebecca has spent most of her OT life working in the community sector with those over the age of 65, to facilitate their independence and safety to live at home. Focusing on people living with dementia in more recent years Rebecca is passionate about providing earlier and more wholistic interventions for clients and their families. Collaborating with the team at Specialist Memory Services, working with multidisciplinary teams to enhance the lives of complex client groups, growing a younger onset dementia support group and developing group-based interventions have been some of her highlights so far. 

WORKSHOP DETAILS

DATES

27th & 28th February 2025 (Thursday & Friday )

TIME

Thursday 27th February 9am – 5:30pm  

Friday 28th February 9am – 4:30pm 

Registration commences at 8:30am each day 

CPD HOURS

A certificate of attendance will be issued on the completion of the course for 12 hours. 

Please note: Your certificate will be available in your CPD Tracker within 48 hours after course completion.

INCLUSIONS

The following are included in your registration: 

• Tea & Coffee on arrival 

• Daily Catering - Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea (please note any dietary requirements at time of registration) 

• Thursday evening networking event from 5:30pm – 6:30pm, includes drinks & canapes) 

• Workshop materials 

REGISTRATION FEES 

OTA Member

Earlybird - $960  - Register on or before 15 January 2025

Standard - $1050 - Register on after 16 January 2025

Non-Member

Standard - $1365 – Register before 12 February 2025

Note: Earlybird pricing is not available for non-members

All pricing is inclusive of GST

Registrations close on 12 February 2025 at 11:55pm 

Members must be logged in with username and password to register at the member rate. 

VENUE 

The Langham Melbourne, 1 Southgate Avenue, Southbank, Melbourne VIC 3006.

ACCOMODATION

For discount with accommodation booking, The Langham Melbourne offer a corporate Optimum program where guests can enjoy up to 10% off the best available flexible rate.

Please click the booking link here to select room type and inclusions to gain this discount.

DISCLAIMER

All information is correct at the time of publication. OTA reserves the right to alter or delete items from the CPD calendar as required, and takes no responsibility for any errors, omissions, and changes.  

All resources including copies of the presentation, along with all supporting documents and links are not for distribution and are the property of the presenter.  

An OTA staff member or representative may be photographing this event for use in OTA publications and/or on OTA social media sites. If you do not wish to be photographed, or have your image published please make this known to the OTA representative at your course or contact OTA on 1300 682 878 or info@otaus.com.au  

TERMS AND CONDITIONS 

Terms and Conditions including OTA’s refund and cancellation policy are available here  

CONTACT US 

Please email info@otaus.com.au or phone 1300 682 878