Research backs home-based program for people living with dementia
About the program: Care Of People with dementia in their Environments (COPE)
University of Sydney and Flinders University researchers aim to fast-track change in the aged and health care sector by championing this new approach to dementia care which includes up-skilling the current workforce and training family members in specialised care for their loved ones.
“The fact is that 75 percent of people living with dementia in Australia live at home. Many want to continue to do so, but with care provided by family and difficulties accessing support, most struggle,” said Professor Lindy Clemson from the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Medicine and Health and Charles Perkins Centre.
“We know from the Royal Commission that people want services that help them to remain independent. These are known as reablement programs but until now Australians have not had access to evidence-backed services,” said Professor Clemson.
The researchers brought COPE, a US program, to Australia and partnered with 17 organisations across two states (NSW and SA) to see if the program proved effective for the many different services that work with people with dementia in Australia.
We know from the Royal Commission that people want services that help them to remain independent.
Key findings
The final findings from the four-year National Health and Medical Research funded program are published in The Gerontologist today.
The study shows that implementation is possible in the Australian context and resulted in similar outcomes to the large US trials. People with dementia were more engaged in activities and carers reported higher levels of wellbeing including greater ability to manage day-to-day caregiving and understand their loved one’s behaviour.
Under the study, occupational therapists and nurses in government services, aged care organisations and private practice took part in the practitioner training and program delivery.
“Having something that’s practical, in the home, that is flexible, it’s a joy in that respect to actually work through those things with someone who is struggling. What motivates me is that you can see change…. I find it so rewarding to actually spend time with them (COPE recipients),” said COPE trained occupational therapist Kylie Lemsing from Hammond Care.
The COPE program
The Care Of People with dementia in their Environments (COPE) program is a multi-visit tailored intervention for people with mild to moderate dementia. It sees specially trained occupational therapists and nurses provide families with skills to manage challenging care problems at home.
“The unique difference with the COPE program is its equal focus on supporting the family just as much as the person with dementia,” said Associate Professor Kate Laver, Co-Lead Investigator from Flinders University.
“This helps address feelings of stress and overload on both sides, and research suggests this kind of program is much more effective than pharmacological treatments for dementia.
“Sometimes it could be as simple as adapting the person’s daily routine or changing the way that the family respond to particular situations but the change you will see can be tremendous. For example, changing someone’s daily routine so that they are more relaxed in the evening and sleep better overnight can be very beneficial for family members.”
Funding remains an issue
The cost-benefit analysis also showed the COPE program can deliver economic gains to the Australian health system, however the researchers say the ability of families to access funding support could be a barrier to uptake.
“Delays in hospitalisation and entry into residential care for people with dementia represents a huge cost saving to the Australian health system. Unfortunately, at the moment, our analysis shows the costs are mostly borne by the person with dementia and their family. There needs to be policy change and financial incentives for families to be involved in these programs,” said Associate Professor Laver.
“While organisations and individuals used a range of funding models to access the program including home care packages, NDIS funding and their own funds, it's clear that aged care funding needs to be clearer and expedite access to reablement and evidence-based programs such as this,” Professor Clemson said.
How can people access the program?
The program is currently available via a small number of organisations with trained therapists in New South Wales and South Australia, with training now being offered to organisations Australia-wide.
Declaration: This work was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Partnership Centre titled Dealing with Cognitive and Related Functional Decline in Older People. Co-authors on The Gerontologist study, Professor Gitlin and Dr Piersol are developers of the COPE Program. Associate Professor Laver offers training for therapists in how to deliver the program and is paid for her time to run the training workshop.
More information:
Information for organisations and families interested in COPE: www.copeprogram.com.au
General enquiries related to the COPE program can be submitted online: https://copeprogram.com.au/contact-us/
Header image: Jan & Tony, supplied by COPE Australia