The language needs of residents from linguistically diverse backgrounds in Victorian aged care facilities.

Objectives: To investigate the language needs of residents of aged care facilities within the State of Victoria, Australia, and determine what language resources were accessible to them.

Methods: Postal questionnaires were sent to 586 aged care facilities, enquiring about residents' and staff members' languages and language-specific resources.

Results: The response rate was 38%.

Personalized one-to-one intervention in agitated individuals with dementia: responders versus non-responders.

The aim of the current study was to explore why some individuals with dementia and agitated behavior showed limited response to a personalized intervention. Ten consistently agitated individuals (i.e.

Comparison of family satisfaction in Australian ethno-specific and mainstream aged care facilities.

The aim in this study was to identify specific aspects of care that increased satisfaction of family members of Greek and Italian residents with dementia in mainstream or ethno-specific aged care facilities in Australia. Relatives of 83 aged care residents with Greek or Italian backgrounds who were also cognitively impaired were interviewed. They rated their satisfaction with the facility and suggested improvements regarding the care provided.

A randomized crossover trial to study the effect of personalized, one-to-one interaction using Montessori-based activities on agitation, affect, and engagement in nursing home residents with Dementia.

Background: Increasingly more attention has been paid to non-pharmacological interventions as treatment of agitated behaviors that accompany dementia. The aim of the current study is to test if personalized one-to-one interaction activities based on Montessori principles will improve agitation, affect, and engagement more than a relevant control condition.

Methods: We conducted a randomized crossover trial in nine residential facilities in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia (n = 44).

The study protocol of a cluster-randomised controlled trial of family-mediated personalised activities for nursing home residents with dementia.

Background: Following admission to a nursing home, the feelings of depression and burden that family carers may experience do not necessarily diminish. Additionally, they may experience feelings of guilt and grief for the loss of a previously close relationship. At the same time, individuals with dementia may develop symptoms of depression and agitation (BPSD) that may be related to changes in family relationships, social interaction and stimulation.

A comparison of verbal communication and psychiatric medication use by Greek and Italian residents with dementia in Australian ethno-specific and mainstream aged care facilities.

Background: Older migrants with dementia and limited English language proficiency in residential care may have unmet needs for social interaction. This project compared verbal communication and prescribed psychiatric medication of Greek and Italian residents with dementia in ethno-specific and mainstream residential care.

Methods: Participants were 82 older Australians of Greek or Italian background who had been diagnosed with dementia and were residing in mainstream or ethno-specific care.

Language use of older Italian-background persons with dementia in mainstream and ethno-specific residential care.

Background: Australia has a growing aging migrant population and rates of dementia in residential care are high. The communication of persons with dementia and limited English language proficiency in residential care is an area that has received little attention in the research literature.

Method: Thirty-nine Italian-background older persons with severe dementia residing in either mainstream (n = 20) or Italian-specific (n = 19) aged care facilities were observed and language use was recorded.