New garden project open to all Exciting, new specialist unit

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CDAMS manager Elizabeth Rand and neuropsychologist Liz Mullaly.Latching on to memory trainingThe expertise of Caulfield Hospital’s dementia specialists hasbeen recognised by a peak body in a very practical way.A memory strategy program for people with mild cognitive impairment,developed by Caulfield Cognitive Dementia And Memory Service(CDAMS) together with Latrobe University, has been taken on byAlzheimer’s Australia Victoria (AAV).Latrobe University’s Professor Glynda Kinsella, and Kerryn Pike,CDAMS manager Elizabeth Rand and neuropsychologist Liz Mullalyhave been involved in developing and researching the program forseveral years. Called the LaTCH Australia Memory ManagementProgram ((LaTCH standing for Latrobe University, Caulfield hospital),it started as a small project through a Caulfield Hospital research grant.“The team then won an Alzheimer’s Australia grant and finally secureda NHMRC grant, to fully develop this program,” Elizabeth said.“We now have a practical program where we can refer people withmild cognitive impairment, such as those with mild memory problems,but not dementia.”Elizabeth and Liz have developed training modules and are training theAAV educators to run the program.“Once enough of Alzheimer’s Australia educators have been trainedthey will be able to use a train the trainer model with occasional inputand oversight from us,” Elizabeth added.“Eventually we hope that it will be run in other states through the restof Alzheimer’s Australia and other sources as well, such as communityhealth services.”Accreditation successCaulfield Hospital Nursing Home “The Glens” recently underwent a two day site audit by the Aged Care Accreditation Agency.Three surveyors conducted the audit to measure compliance against the 44 outcomes within the Aged Care Standards. All 44 outcomes wereachieved and the hospital and has been awarded another three years accreditation status. The surveyors commended the teams on theirexcellent clinical care and the quality of the information systems. Feedback from residents and families was also positive regarding clinical care,privacy and dignity and the lifestyle program. Residents stated that staff are very responsive to their needs and respectful.
Trust supportfor CaulfieldIn the last 12 months, Caulfield Hospital has received generoussupport from philanthropic trusts, which will result in three newmajor pieces of equipment that will further improve the careour patients receive.Collier Charitable Fund continued its long support of the hospital witha $30,000 grant for a specialised portable ultrasound machine, to beused in the hospital’s spasticity clinic. It will benefit patients who sufferfrom debilitating spasticity following damage to the brain, spinal cordor nervous system. They will now enjoy a pain-free and more effectivetreatment of the botulinum toxin injections required to relieve or loosenmuscle stiffness that can severely hamper mobility.Dr Peter New, who works within the clinic, said: “Collier’s generositywill mean these patients will no longer have to undergo the painful,multiple stimulation of the muscles with electricity bolts to find the rightspot within the muscle to inject. The ultrasound will allow us to injectthe precise spot in a less painful way.”The hospital’s podiatry department will also benefit from philanthropicsupport, with The Honda Foundation providing a recent grant of$10,000. These funds will be used towards purchasing a pedar device– an in-shoe dynamic pressure measuring system, which accuratelymeasures the pressure distribution between the foot and the shoe.Diabetes patients, in particular, will benefit from this device as theneuropathy they have means they cannot feel pain on their feet andare therefore unaware of the danger they are in. A pressure sore canbe catastrophic, resulting in the amputation of a toe, foot or limb forpatients with diabetes.And finally, a very sophisticated, much needed piece of equipmenthas arrived, thanks to a generous donation from the Ian Rollo CurrieEstate Foundation.The foundation funded a power assisted bariatric tilt in spacewheelchair, costing over $22,000. It will be used for the hospital’sbigger patients who have complex, debilitating neurological or spinalproblems. It will help patients experience some independence andmobility, while ensuring they can participate in rehabilitation.The power assisted bariatric tilt in space wheelchair donated by the Ian Rollo CurrieEstate Foundation.Dr Michael Chou, head of rehabilitation services, says the foundation’ssupport is “truly fantastic”.“These patients tend to be with us for several months as inpatients.As they have no trunk control, they would fall out of a normalwheelchair. It is a hugely expensive piece of equipment and we areextremely grateful to the Ian Rollo Currie Estate Foundation for theirongoing support of Caulfield Hospital.”Delving into the brainCaulfield Hospital is celebrating the results of one of its clinicaltrials, which has shown a significant, positive finding in slowingthe progression of Alzheimer’s disease.Caulfield was one of a number of sites involved in the global trial,in which 2000 patients participated worldwide. The drug worksby attacking the protein amyloid, which is widely thought to causeAlzheimer’s disease. Participants received monthly infusions of anantibody that recognises amyloid as an invader. The infused antibodythen binds to the protein, allowing its removal, with the aim being toslow the progress of the disease.Director of aged psychiatry, Associate Professor Stephen Macfarlane saidthe Eli Lily funded trial is one of the first to deliver a significant benefit.“We have been involved in giving patients infusions of this drug sincelate 2009 and we’re excited to see a significant result. Those onthe drug experienced a slower cognitive decline than those on theplacebo,” A/Prof Macfarlane said.A/Prof Steve Macfarlane.“This is the best disease modifying drug so far. While we currently havedrugs that temporarily treat symptoms, no drug has really worked toslow the process. This is a new frontier. All patients who completed theoriginal trial are now on the active drug as part of an extension study.”
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