Dementia care skills boost

Dementia Australia has released a suite of professional development and training courses to help Support Workers and other care professionals support the increasing number of Australians living with dementia.

The roll-out follows new data from the organisation estimating that 446,500 Australians are living with dementia in 2026. Already the nation’s leading cause of death, dementia prevalence is projected to more than double to more than one million people by 2065 without significant intervention. You can read more via Dementia Australia’s dementia facts and figures.

Against that backdrop, Dementia Australia says building workforce capability is central to any long-term solution, particularly as two-thirds of people living with dementia remain in the community, relying heavily on in-home supports.

Other initiatives include securing federal funding to implement the National Dementia Action Plan, a ten-year government framework released in late 2024 that aims to improve the lives of people living with dementia and the Support Workers and Carers that look after them.

Targeting the community care gap

The training programs available through Dementia Australia are tailored for a broad range of care settings and are designed to be practical, person-centred and grounded in the latest research.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare figures underscore the urgency. They show the rate of dementia rises quickly with age – from less than one person with dementia per 1,000 Australians aged under 60, to 71 per 1,000 Australians aged 75–79. Of those aged 90 and over, that figure then rises to 428 per 1,000. See the AIHW prevalence of dementia data.

To meet that demand, the new offerings span foundational knowledge through to advanced practice. Courses cover behaviour support and therapeutic engagement, communication and empathy development, case management, service coordination and a human-rights-based approach to dementia care.

Among the flagship programs is Dementia Essentials, a nationally accredited unit of competency providing 20 hours of Continuing Professional Development. Fully subsidised by the Federal Government, the course is delivered in six modules, available online or face-to-face.

Several advanced courses are also offered free of charge to Support Workers, including Advanced Skills in Supporting Changed Behaviours (five weeks), Advanced Communication Skills in Dementia (four weeks), and seven-week programs in Therapeutic Engagement, Dementia Case Management and Ensuring a Human Rights Approach in Practice.

Beyond traditional coursework, Dementia Australia is also investing in experiential learning.

The organisation’s Tell TiNA analysis tool helps workers identify strengths and skill gaps in their dementia practice. Immersive virtual reality programs such as Enabling EDIE and Dine with Ted place participants in simulated environments designed to reflect the lived experience of a person with dementia.

If you have the energy, passion and commitment needed to become a Support Worker, we’d love to hear from you. Learn more about dementia support services at Just Better Care.