November DCSC: Relationship-Based Dementia Care — How We Show Up Matters.
Here's the recap, resources, and research spotlights .
SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT:
Marie Alford, General Manager of Growth and Innovation at HammondCare,.
Last time, at the club - thank you, Marie!
We were thrilled to welcome Marie Alford, General Manager of Growth and Innovation at HammondCare, to our November session. Marie brought real wisdom on relationship-based dementia care—and a reminder that how we show up matters just as much as what we know.
Marie’s key insights & takeaways:
When behavior changes, someone's asking three things: Am I safe? What do I do next? Do you see me?
Start with yourself—the emotions you bring shape how people experience their world.
Behavior is communication. What looks "difficult" is often pain, confusion, fear, or overstimulation.
It's always the first time. Repetition doesn't stick the way it does for most of us.
You matter too. Taking breaks is how carers actually sustain. Like she said, “you can’t set yourself on fire just to keep someone else warm".
Learn More
HammondCare – Expert aged care, home care, dementia care and palliative care
Hammond Innovations – Transforming dementia, palliative and complex care
Dementia Support Australia – 24/7 support for family members and health professionals
Uniting three highly-regarded entities – The Dementia Centre, The Palliative Centre, and The Centre for Positive Ageing – into an integrated collective. Partnering with other organisations and lived experience stakeholders to move faster from knowledge to impact.
Research Spotlight
What do young dementia carers want & need?
Katya and her collaborators at Curtin and Surrey Universities are in the final push of a national survey mapping what it's really like to be a young (18–40) dementia carer in Australia.
Details: 30–40 mins, totally confidential. Take the survey or share it with your networks—every response strengthens the case for better support and policy changes!
Take the survey here!
Help create an app that makes life easier
The Perx Health Team needs your help to validate a new health app. Designed to simplify daily life for people living with cognitive decline and their carers. Manage tasks, track appointments, and access resources in one place.
The pilot launches January 2026—and we're looking for carers and people with dementia who want to be part of shaping how it works. Your feedback will directly shape the final version.
Interested? Email fiona@perxhealth.com
Product Spotlight
HeartStreet App
Richard built HeartStreet for his mum when dementia started making the world confusing. Now HeartStreet is helping families stay connected across distance—delivering familiar photos, messages, music, and reminders straight to a tablet with one-touch controls and no confusing logins. Families manage everything remotely, so connection continues even when you can't be there in person.
Email: ric@heartstreet.com to learn more.
We'd love to hear what topics matter most to you. Guest speaker ideas? Themes you want us to explore? Ways we could do things better? Please email us anytime—we're genuinely keen to shape this into exactly what our community needs.
Details for our next gathering will be in your inbox and on our Upcoming Events page soon!
Wishing you and yours a gentle end to the year,
Katya & Monique
Dementia Care Social Club
