Dementia

Referrals

Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service (DBMAS) 24 hour over the phone advice when there are complex behaviours that are stressful for a Carer to manage. They can help the carer work out strategies and access appropriate medical care. Phone 1800 699 799.

CCNB Northern Sydney Dementia Advisory Service provides advice and assistance to people with dementia and their families and can link them with other people with dementia and their carers. Phone 1300 002 262.

Memory Problems Booklet Information for people with Dementia and their carers

Health Pathways Cognitive Impairment and Dementia

Dementia Support Australia (DSA) Free dementia behaviour support programs for carers of people living with dementia where behaviour impacts their care, at home, in community respite settings, residential or acute care settings. Anyone can refer, providing there is a diagnosis of dementia (or suspected dementia); behaviours relate to dementia (including apathy, and depression), and that the person with dementia or their substitute decision maker consents to the referral. Other options include Specialist Dementia Care Programs and the Staying at Home program for carers and people living with dementia who are recently diagnosed with dementia. Phone 1800 699 799.

National Dementia Helpline Free 24 hour telephone service providing information and advice to people with dementia and their friends and family and health and aged care workers. They can also connect to Dementia Australia and community support services and program and discuss government support, including My Aged Care, NDIS, Carer Gateway and DBMAS.
Phone 1800 100500. Webchat: dementia.org.au/helpline/webchat. Mon – Fri 8am-8pm.
Use the referral form for all Dementia Australia services including:

My Aged Care and dementia

Health Navigators find local services for older and vulnerable patients. Phone 1800 271 212.

Northern Sydney Home Nursing Service (NSHNS) provides community-based nursing care to people at  home and in clinic environments

Social Work Service provides patients with chronic or complex health care conditions with appropriate service access to nutritional, social, and welfare support.
Hornsby, Ku-ring-gai, and Ryde: PCCS GP Social Work Connect Program: Phone 9477 8700. Referral Form.
Hunters Hill, Willoughby, Lane Cove, Mosman, North Sydney, Northern Beaches: CCNB Health at Home Program. Phone 1300 002 262.

Geriatrician Outreach to Primary Care Geriatrician Outreach to Primary Care aims to increase Geriatrician input into GP-led patient planning and care in the community while building relationships and facilitating two-way learning opportunities.​

It seeks to work collaboratively with GPs to manage complex patients and prevent conditions that may be at potential risk of deterioration.

Rapid Response Aged Care Teams home-visiting services for patients at risk of needing hospital.  They assess and treat older people experiencing a new decline in health and work closely with Ambulance. Urgent referrals will be home visited within 1-24 hours and non-urgent referrals will be seen within 1 week. Available: Monday to Friday, 8:00am –4:30pm.

Lower North Shore and Ryde/Hunters Hill Aged Care Rapid Response Team –ARRT. Referrals.
0409 460 419 Lower North Shore
0408 546 907 Ryde/Hunters Hill
0434 329 970 Registrar

Hornsby/Kuringai Geriatric Rapid Acute Care Evaluation –GRACE. Referrals. Phone 02 9485 6552 or 0434 183 549.

  • ARRT & GRACE have Geriatricians, Senior Nurses & physiotherapists, ARRT have Advance trainee in Geriatrics.
  • Provide home-based treatment and assessment for a range of conditions common in older people who are living in their own homes or in residential aged care facilities.
  • Can organise alternative treatment options including HITH (APAC), hospital or private clinics, specialty reviews, imaging, and diagnostics.
  • Supports GPs and other services to provide home-based management for frail elderly people who are deteriorating and are at risk of hospitalisation.
  • Uses both videoconferencing and/or home visits to assess and review and treat older people

Beaches Rapid Access Care for the Elderly – BRACE Referrals. Phone 02 9998 6111.

Northern Sydney Carer Support  information, guidance, and support that is practical and local to help carers find the right services for their needs

Carers Australia Phone 1800 242636.

Carer Gateway

Carer Support Northern Sydney Local Health District

Dementia Care Quality Improvement Program

Sydney North Health Network, the Improvement Foundation and a local expert reference panel collaborated to develop quality indicators to support improvement in dementia care in general practice nationally, including detection, timely diagnosis and management.

The Dementia Quality Improvement Program (DQIP) commenced in Feb 2018. The program provides support to participating practices to analyse current dementia care management utilising the specified indicators. Practices are participating in small group workshops and peer support programs to develop individualised improvement plans to support implementation of evidence-based best practice care.

For more information or to express an interest in any of these opportunities, please complete this Expression of Interest form.

Northern Sydney Dementia Collaborative

The Northern Sydney Dementia Collaborative was established in 2014, with assistance from the NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation’s “Building Partnerships” program, which aimed to form alliances that work together to integrate care for older people with complex health needs. Nowhere is this more needed than in people with dementia. There are a range of services available in Northern Sydney for people with dementia and their carers. However, information about these services and how to access them is not well understood by the people who need them the most or by health professionals. It is estimated that over 12,000 people in Northern Sydney are living with dementia and this figure will continue to grow as the population ages.

Patient Resources

Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service (DBMAS) 24 hour over the phone advice when there are complex behaviours that are stressful for a Carer to manage. They can help the Carer work out strategies and access appropriate medical care.  Phone 1800 699 799

CCNB Northern Sydney Dementia Advisory Service provides advice and assistance to people with dementia and their families and can link them with other people with dementia and their carers. Phone 1300 002 262

National Dementia Helpline – Free 24 hour telephone service providing information and advice to people with dementia and their friends and family and health and aged care workers. They can also connect to Dementia Australia and community support services and program and discuss government support, including My Aged Care, NDIS, Carer Gateway and DBMAS.
Phone 1800 100500.Webchat: dementia.org.au/helpline/webchat. Operating hours Mon – Fri 8am-8pm.

Dementia Australia Services:

Memory Problems: Information for people with Dementia and their carers

CDPC: Dementia Consumer Guide

Dementia Australia

My Dementia Companion