Through this project we hope to improve choice and access to dementia care services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in rural and remote areas.
The DREAMT (Dementia, Regional and remote, Empowering, Aboriginal and Torres Strait, Medicine and Telemedicine and telehealth) project will implement and assess a telehealth service for dementia care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in rural and remote Queensland.
A range of telehealth-supported dementia services including screening, treatment, patient support, and delivery of health promotion targeting dementia prevention and community awareness will be provided to six community-controlled Aboriginal Medical Services across rural and remote Queensland. Medical specialists from two hub sites in Brisbane and Cairns will use telehealth to consult with Indigenous people and their local health workers. The DREAMT project will provide funding and training to employ health workers at each of the sites. Telehealth equipment will be installed and maintained, and training provided to local staff.
The clinical effectiveness, patient, carer and community perspectives, economic and organisational aspects of the service will be assessed as part of this project.
Grant funding for DREAMT has been provided by the Australian Government’s Department of Health Dementia and Aged Care Services.