Menzies' Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre (Wicking Centre) will officially launch a new aid for carers of people with dementia, the GOLD Book, in Launceston today.

Menzies' Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre (Wicking Centre) will officially launch a new aid for carers of people with dementia, the GOLD Book, in Launceston today.

The GOLD (Guiding Option for Life with Dementia) Book has been developed to help carers of people with dementia negotiate the complex Tasmanian community service sector.

Research Fellow, Dr Christine Stirling from the Wicking Centre says the GOLD Book will greatly assist carers of people with dementia with difficult decisions such as choosing to use respite services.

 "It will help carers to think through decisions about the help they need in a step by step manner."

"With dementia rates in Tasmania predicted to significantly soar over the next few years, this book will be an invaluable tool."

The Wicking Centre and a team of researchers collaborated with service providers and carers of people with dementia to create the book.

Community stakeholders involved in the project include Alzheimers Australia (Launceston), Family Based Care (Launceston), Commonwealth Carelink Respite, the Department of Health and Human Services' Launceston Community Dementia Team, Calvary Health Care and people with dementia and their carers.

"We are very pleased with the support being offered by our research partners both in Hobart and here in Launceston, who are making this project possible," Dr Stirling said.

 "We were really thrilled with the enthusiastic response from all the carers involved in our project to date and we are now keen to prove this tool's efficacy across the broader community through the next trial phase."

 "We are currently calling for expressions of interest from carers in the Launceston community who would be interested in being involved in this next phase."

Co-Director of the Wicking Centre, Professor Andrew Robinson's mandate is to prepare Tasmania for a large increase in the number of people with dementia. The Wicking Centre does this through research for the development of health services using translational research in community care, residential aged care and acute care.

Professor Robinson says understanding dementia, the trajectory and biological basis of the disease, informs our direction in working towards improving the quality of care for people with dementia.

"The development of the GOLD Book is to support carers of people with dementia and we hope that this decision aid helps carers make the right choices for themselves and for their loved ones," Professor Robinson said.

Anyone interested in participating in the next trial phase should contact Kay Thompson, the Wicking Centre on (03) 6226 6107 or 6324 6107.

The GOLD book is being launched today as part of Brain Awareness Week.

Established in 2008, the Wicking Centre is funded by the JO & JR Wicking Trust, (managed by ANZ Trustees) with further financial support from the University of Tasmania (UTAS) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Tasmania.

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Fiona Horwood
Communications Manager
Menzies Research Institute
Telephone:(03) 6226 7751

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