DREAM - Dementia Resource Consultant

Dementia Resource Consultants work in the Stratford Hospital Emergency Department with the staff to assist with admission avoidance for Persons Living with Dementia

The Integrated Dementia Resource Team, The Dream Team, with blue forget-me-not flower

What is DREAM?

Dementia

  • Provide knowledge in behavioural prevention and management in the emergency department

Resource

  • Identify appropriate community resources and assist with access
  • Review resources with family members, and potential referrals are recommended
  • Transition from hospital to home through referral to Alzheimer Society respite

Education

  • Provide education and capacity building for front-line staff
  • Work with family members to learn coping strategies and foster resiliency to prevent future emergency visits

Advocacy

  • Collaborate with emergency department staff for admission avoidance, particularly through utilizing non-restraint strategies to prevent decompensation

Mentorship

  • Provide one-on-one, hands-on support and consultation to family members and the Person Living with Dementia at the bedside

The Integrated Dementia Resource Team

People with dementia are at the centre of everything we do. The Alzheimer Society leverages its own and community resources to deliver health promotion, advocacy, and support services to people living with dementia, those at greatest risk of developing dementia, and their care partners. 

Team Members

The Integrated Dementia Resource Team consists of:

  • The Dementia Resource Consultant from the Alzheimer Society
  • The Hospital Navigator
  • Ontario Health atHome

The team works together to assist individuals needing support, with a goal of preventing hospital admission.

How can we help? 

  • Bring extensive knowledge of local community resources and managing dementia behaviours
  • Collaborate with hospital staff to support diversions and prevent admissions
  • Address responsive behaviours with the patient, care partner, and family through support, education, coaching, and strategies
  • Advocate for inclusiveness of the care partner input to understand the patient's care needs
  • Transition from hospital to home through referral to Alzheimer Society funded respite

What does a Dementia Resource Consultant do in the hospital?

  • Build on existing connnections between the hospital and the community
  • Collaborate with Emergency Department staff on understanding dementia and addressing responsive behaviours
  • Speak to patient/care partner/family about the best options for support in the home
  • Provide support, reassurance, and printed information
  • Advocate for inclusiveness of the care partner input
  • Promote the use of services (i.e. Lifeline, GPS, and Vulnerable Person Registry)
  • Case conferencing between Home Community Care, Navigation, Physiotherapy, Nurse Practitioners, and Physicians
  • Provide respite support and coping strategies
  • Advocate for referral to Behavioural Support Ontario, Alzheimer Society, and other community partners

What the Dementia Resource Consultant is unable to provide:

  • Social opportunities or education to families/clients/patients on medical floors
  • Support for medical staff with a patient who has been admitted and is experiencing responsive behaviours with interventions
  • Attend case consultation on admitted patients (responsive behaviours, isolation)
  • Attend "rounds" to provide consultation to admitted patients
  • Sit bedside and offer social support while in the Emergency Department
  • Sit bedside and provide supervision so physical restraints can be removed
  • Walk alongside a client who is exit-seeking/wandering alone

Responsive Behaviours & De-Escalation

Responsive behaviours and agitation can be reduced through individualized activities that enhance the abilities of the Person Living with Dementia, provide distraction, and promote positive interactions. Activities are available such as:

  • Adult colouring
  • Math games
  • Sudoku
  • Maze puzzles
  • Word searches
  • Cross words
  • Trivia
  • Dementia friendly books and reading activities

The Dementia Resource Consultant may also provide:

  • Music player loaded with familiar music
  • Twiddle muffs
  • Fidget blankets
  • Busy boards (with switches, knobs, locks, latches, etc.)
  • Realistic robotic animals (i.e. cat or dog)
  • Baby dolls

Activity packages are available for Emergency Department staff to use during the hours that the Dementia Resource Consultant is not on site. 

How to Contact the Dementia Resource Consultant at the Stratford General Hospital

Shannon Austin, BA CCPE

519-271-1910 ext. 146

[email protected]

Emergency Department Office Location: Mental Health Unit

HPHA Phone ext: 2282