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Dementia assessments

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If you care for someone with dementia, your doctor can help arrange an assessment for that person or you can arrange one directly through My Aged Care.

This assessment will work out what support the person needs, ranging from help with basic tasks at home to more intensive aged care services.

There are also care packages and other services that can be organised, based on individual need, which you can access to help you in your caring role. For more information, visit the My Aged Care website.

Last reviewed: November 2016

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These trusted information partners have more on this topic.

Dementia Australia | Culturally appropriate dementia assessment tools

Resources developed for screening and diagnostic assessment of people from non-English speaking backgrounds. In Australia a significant and ever growing proportion of the elderly population are overseas born with English as a second language. Standard assessment tools, such as the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) are not easy to translate and administer to this population. Culturally appropriate dementia assessment tools, however are available.

Read more on Dementia Australia website

Dementia Australia | Choosing a residential facility

After the ACAT assessment Looking at residential facilities Good design in a residential facility for people with dementia Deciding on a facility Contact us

Read more on Dementia Australia website

Transition of Patients with Dementia into an Aged Care Home | myVMC

The decision to place a loved one with dementia into an aged care home is one of the most difficult decisions you can make. Here is some information on easing the transition of a dementia patient into an aged care home.

Read more on myVMC – Virtual Medical Centre website

Clinical Assessment

The clinical assessment of a patient needs to be impeccable, comprehensive, systematic and ongoing. A structured approach to assessment is preferable.

Dementia Australia | Deciding on residential care

Where to begin Types of residential facilities Getting assessed for residential care Planning for the move Taking care of yourself Contact us

Read more on Dementia Australia website

Caring for a resident with dementia

Residents with dementia may not be able to tell people if they have pain or other problems. Residential aged care staff use assessment tools and guidelines, as well as their experience and knowledge of each person, to help them know when a resident is in pain, or if their pain is getting worse. These tools help residential aged care staff to give residents the right care at the right time. Families can talk to residential aged care staff about the kind of assessment tools they use to help plan t

Dementia Australia | Informing the person with dementia

Preparing for the diagnosis The person undergoing the assessment for dementia should be allowed to decide if they want to know if the diagnosis is confirmed. In general, if a person is aware that they are going for a diagnosis they will be able to make that choice. It is recommended that a person with dementia be told of their diagnosis. However, a person has a right not to know their diagnosis if that is their clear and informed preference.

Read more on Dementia Australia website

Dementia Australia | Indigenous Resources

Dementia Australia has several resources These being the Looking Out For Dementia and The Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment tool (KICA). Looking Out For Dementia Looking out for dementia is a suite of themed resources which has been developed to inform Indigenous people living in remote communities of Northern Territory about dementia.

Read more on Dementia Australia website

Dementia Australia | Tests used in diagnosing dementia

Assessment The first step towards a diagnosis is to talk to your doctor about your concerns. It is a good idea to take a close family member or friend along to help provide the doctor with all the information they need. It is also a good idea to take along a list of the memory and thinking changes that have been concerning you, including when you first noticed them and how often you notice them. You should also take a list of the medications you are taking or take your medications with you.

Read more on Dementia Australia website

Dementia Australia | Talk to your doctor

During the process of having an assessment of memory loss or cognitive changes and determining a diagnosis, it is likely that you will have contact with medical specialists. In the longer term though, it is the family doctor who is usually the health professional providing on-going health care. This means that your doctors relationship with you and your family is critical. Your family members or others close to you are also likely to have involvement.

Read more on Dementia Australia website

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Dementia assessments