News

Preventing Dementia Through Lifestyle Interventions

The 2021 Dementia Prevention Conference took place on Thursday, 28th October online due to COVID-19 restrictions. Over 350 people registered for the event to hear the latest from world-class researchers. Attendees included researchers, consumers, and those with lived experience of dementia. A range of lifestyle factors (diet, sleep, exercise) and pharmacological interventions were featured across […]

Australian Government funded project to update existing DCRC resources

The DCRC is pleased to announce that we have received Commonwealth Government funding to update our BPSD Guides and Resources. The aim of the DCRC resources is to provide easy access to strategies to support clinicians in the field and family carers in the home when they are presented with changed behaviours associated with dementia. […]

DCRC Farewell after 15 years of dementia research

The Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration (DCRC) will cease operation on December 23, 2021, and we want to take this opportunity to thank all our members, colleagues, and stakeholders across Australia and internationally for your important contribution to dementia research.

Get Involved: Getting Home Safely

Participate in an online interview to help improve outcomes for people with dementia who go missing. People with dementia are at greater risk of getting lost and experiencing devastating outcomes as a result. Queensland University of Technology (QUT) is leading research to help address this. We are looking for people with early stage dementia or […]

Five World Class Research Grants to support people living with dementia and their caregivers

The Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration (DCRC) is pleased to announce the five successful applicants in the latest round of World Class Research Projects. The grants have been awarded to Professor Lynn Chenoweth, Dr Karen Charlton, Associate Professor Kate Laver, Dr Joan Ostaszkiewicz and Dr Lily Xiao. From a total funding pool of $1.8 million, […]

Six more ground-breaking dementia research grants to support people living with dementia and their caregivers

The Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration (DCRC) is pleased to announce six more successful applicants in the latest round of DCRC pilot grants. These six projects join seven other projects recently announced. Each of these pilot projects will receive $75,000 to conduct ground-breaking dementia research. The DCRC pilot grants have been awarded to Dr Andrew […]

Seven ground-breaking dementia research grants to support people living with dementia and their caregivers

MEDIA RELEASE The Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration (DCRC) is pleased to announce the successful applicants in the latest round of DCRC pilot grants. Seven pilot projects will receive $75,000 each to conduct ground-breaking dementia research. Five of the seven projects are co-funded in partnership with the Dementia Australia Research Foundation. The seven DCRC pilot […]

Guidelines for Dementia Care: Awareness and current usage in Residential Aged Care

RESEARCH PROJECT QUT Ethics Approval Number 2000000784 Updated Tuesday, 16 February 2021 Thank you for helping with this research project. Please download this information and complete the survey on the links below:

Changed behaviours and psychological symptoms associated with dementia: Two Online Symposia

The Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration (DCRC) has organised two online symposia to take place in November 2020. You can register and submit an abstract for FREE here. Please see details below and attached poster. You can register to attend both or just one of the two.

MEDIA RELEASE: $250,000 to implement dementia research evidence into practice

The Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration (DCRC) is pleased to announce the successful applicants receiving an Implementing Research Evidence into Practice Grant 2020. The grants, of up to $50,000 each, have been awarded to Dr Claire O’Connor, Dr Jane Sluggett , Dr Christine While, Associate Professor Lyn Phillipson, Dr Loren Mowszowski, Associate Professor Susan Slatyer […]

Meet our PhDs:
Dr Deborah Brooks examines support for spousal carers of people with dementia following placement into residential aged care

My journey into a PhD at QUT started with conversations with partners of people with dementia. They talked about how difficult the transition into residential care was for them, and their partner with dementia. Some of these couples had been married for fifty or sixty years, and the separation was often referred to as a 'bereavement without death'- which became the title of my thesis.

Meet our PhDs: Dr Tierney’s Own Meaningful Activities

Dr Laura Tierney completed her PhD examining meaningful activity for older adults with dementia. Her research proposed a conceptual model for understanding “meaningful activity” and a person-centred approach to care that respects individuality, focuses on individuals’ strengths rather than impairments and empowers individual decision-making. “I worked as a research assistant for many years across lots […]

Three Postgraduate Scholarships in Dementia Research Announced!

The Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration (DCRC) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) would like to announce the 2021 DCRC Postgraduate Research Scholarships for Dementia Research. Three PhD scholarships are on offer at $30,000 per annum for up to 3 years starting in 2021. For this scholarship round, candidates undertaking research into dementia care and prevention will be prioritised for funding.

MEDIA RELEASE: $200,000 to address the appropriate use of psychotropic medicines for people living with dementia

Professor Simon Bell, Pharmacist and Director of the Centre for Medicine Use and Safety at Monash University has received $200,000 from the Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration (DCRC) to lead a multidisciplinary team to develop guidelines for the appropriate use of psychotropic medicines for people living with dementia.

“The Royal Commission into Aged Quality and Safety has highlighted the over-reliance on chemical restraint as one of three areas for immediate action within aged care,” said Professor Bell.

EOI: Consumer Involvement Coordinator (0.2FTE)

We're hiring!

The DCRC is seeking to appoint a co-ordinator for our Consumer Advisory Initiative. The role is one day per week until December 2021 and may be based in Sydney or Brisbane, reporting to one of the DCRC Directors.

CALL FOR PROPOSALS: Guidelines for the appropriate use of psychotropic medicines

The DCRC is seeking proposals to develop guidelines for the appropriate use of psychotropic medicines for people living with dementia. Clear and accurate guidance regarding the use of such medicines is required for clinicians and other care staff to reduce chemical restraints and improve care for people living with dementia. Guidelines are also required for […]

Healthier drinking choices and cognitive decline in older risky drinkers

Alcohol consumption is a key modifiable risk factor associated with dementia and cognitive decline. However, recent reviews have noted a scarcity of interventions focusing on the prevention of problematic alcohol use in older adults. To address this significant gap in the literature, this world first study aims to determine whether an online alcohol intervention adapted […]

Frontotemporal dementia or autism spectrum disorder? Refining the diagnosis of emerging social impairments in older adults

Emerging changes in behaviour and thinking abilities in older adults are often thought to indicate the presence of dementia. In recent years, however, we have become increasingly aware of individuals initially diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia – a younger-onset dementia affecting primarily personality and behaviour – but who show very little change over many years. We […]

“Golden Angels” spreading their wings: Translating a volunteer dementia and delirium program from hospitals to residential care

Many residential aged care facility (RACF) staff would like to focus on meeting the emotional needs of their residents but time and resourcing pressures mean that they are compelled to prioritise task-focused, physical care. Compounding this, people with dementia are at greater risk for loneliness, serious physical illness such as delirium, and having their attempts to express their unmet physical and emotional needs viewed as aggressive or inappropriate.

DCRC eNews – June 2020

Despite COVID shutdown it is a busy time across our three hubs in Queensland and New South Wales. Applications closed in September 2019 for our world class research project grants that fund trials and studies to evaluate efficacy, methods, interventions, practice change or policy for people with dementia and we are delighted to announce the successful applicants and their projects!

World Class Research Grants for Dementia Research Awarded

The Dementia Centre for Research Collaboration (DCRC) is pleased to announce the successful applicants receiving World Class Research Large Grants for dementia research for 2020. The three grants of up to $600,000 each, have been awarded to research teams led by Professor Susan Kurrle, Dr Louise Mewton and Professor Olivier Piguet.