<p><strong>Informed by research and community consultation, the PHN has learnt that people with dementia and their carers are self-navigating their way through the healthcare system, with no guidance on how to navigate its complexity, resulting in feelings of frustration and defeat. </strong></p>
<p>Taking on recent feedback received from a wide range of people, including people living with dementia, Brisbane North PHN is currently working to improve dementia service navigation across the North Brisbane and Moreton Bay region by creating an online dementia service navigation platform and hardcopy directory. These resources will be designed collaboratively with people living with dementia, their carers and families—as well as health professionals and service providers—to best meet each of their needs. <br /></p>
<p>The online platform will enable easy navigation and direct users to a range of community-based and national-level services. The services will be comprehensive and cover a range of practical, social and psychological supports needed across the dementia journey. The aim of creating these resources is to help people live well with dementia and to remain active in the community for as long as possible. </p>
<p>For general practitioners and health workers, this portal can be used as a singular point for referrals and information; to understand what support is needed for a patient with dementia when living in the community and what services are locally available. </p>
<p>The PHN is collaborating with Dementia Australia to hold carer and consumer workshops to inform the content, and working with creative agency, New Word Order to develop the website and hardcopy resource. </p>
<p>The Moreton Bay Dementia Alliance has also been a valuable advocacy group for the development of this piece of work. </p>
<p>In the future, we plan to expand this digital resource to include service navigation for the needs of all older people for healthy living and wellbeing in the North Brisbane and Moreton Bay region. </p>
<p><strong>For more information on this project email Project Officer, Amy Anderson via <a href="mailto:amy.anderson@brisbanenorthphn.org.au">amy.anderson@brisbanenorthphn.org.au</a>. </strong></p>
<p><em>Pictured above: Consumers, carers, and staff members from Dementia Australia, New Word Order and the PHN at the recent discovery workshop. </em><br /></p>