Projects


We are planning and working on varied and exciting projects

Attend our Dementia Awareness Forums during Dementia Action Week in September, details are below. 
Unforgettable Voices

Unforgettable Voices

The Creative Writing Project aimed to collect stories and poems about people living with dementia and their carers.

The title "Unforgettable Voices” aims to show the resilience of people living with dementia and we captured the untold stories of the lived experience of dementia in our local community while raising awareness about dementia.

The stories are from the perspective of the person living with dementia, family carers, extended family members, professional carers and friends.
On completion of the project several stories will be compiled into a book and available for sale in 2024.
 A reading of the stories was held on the 25th September at the Port Macquarie Library.
 This project is a collaboration with the Port Macquarie Hasting Fellowship of Australian Writers. The DFC alliance appreciates their involvement.

Download PDF
May 2024 – Memories in Melodies

May 2024 – Memories in Melodies

The singing group 'Memories in Melodies' has been established to enhance the wellbeing of individuals living with dementia and Parkinson's, as well as their caregivers. 

This initiative is a collaboration between the Greater Port Macquarie Dementia Friendly Community Alliance (DFCA) and Soul Sounds Music Therapy. Phoebe Thompson-
Star, a Registered Music Therapist, spearheaded the project. She advocates for the use of music to aid those affected by Dementia and Parkinson's, highlighting its vital role in wellbeing.
When we engage with music every part of the brain activates at once, creating a very meaningful gateway to communication and memory. It not only keeps the mind active and maintains cognitive function, but also shows significant benefits in its ability to improve quality of life and increase feelings of social connection
For people living with dementia or Parkinson’s wanting to join “Memories in Melodies”, its first session is Monday 17 June at 10am. 

To register, call 0493 758 540, email [email protected] or visit the dementia friendly Port Macquarie website.

Dementia Friendly Community Dementia Friendly Community
Dementia Friendly Community Dementia Friendly Community

2022- Group 3 Rugby League Dementia Awareness Rounds- Fundraiser Project

In the 2021 National Rugby League season, there was a concerted effort to eliminate head-high tackles as incidents of contact around the head had risen significantly since 2017, with a reported 700 percent increase. With the growing concern of dementia now affecting retired NRL players, the Port Macquarie Dementia Friendly Community (DFC) Alliance came up with a plan to host a fundraiser at the local football grounds to raise awareness about the relationship of head knocks (concussion) and dementia.

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In 2022 & 2023 the Group 3 Rugby League and the Group 3 Referees Association supported the initiative to dedicate a weekend round of football to Dementia Awareness. Volunteers from the Port Macquarie DFC were present at both the Regional Stadium in Port Macquarie and Lank Bain in Wauchope. They set up an information table, circulated donation buckets among the crowd, and had the ground announcer promote the fundraising efforts throughout the day. Additionally, referees showed their support for Dementia Awareness by wearing green socks. The event successfully raised funds and sparked inquiries, indicating the DFC's progress in increasing the rugby league community's awareness of dementia and its association with repeated head traumas from concussions. During the 2023 dementia awareness event, the discussion shifted towards chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Frisbees and can coolers bearing the DFC logo were handed out to the attendees.

As the new year 2024 approached, the topic of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) gained increasing attention in discussions surrounding football codes, other contact sports, blast trauma, and domestic violence. In 2023, Wally Lewis was diagnosed with probable CTE. In February 2024, he and prominent neurologist Dr. Rowena Mobbs led a delegation to Canberra to advocate for CTE funding and support in the federal budget. Subsequently, in April 2024, Wally Lewis and Dr. Mobbs held a press conference at the National Press Club to campaign for an $18 million investment in CTE, the only form of dementia that is preventable.

During the early months, the DFC recognized the need to elevate this year's dementia awareness campaign, with a particular emphasis on CTE. They reached out to Dr. Rowena Mobbs and Kayleen Doyle, a founding member of Connecters—a support group for those living with probable CTE. This year’s Dementia Awareness round successfully raised additional funds and the promotions were centred on CTE and the upcoming Brain Health in Sport seminar, organized by the DFC for Dementia Action Week on September 21st, 2024 (refer to the events page for more details).

The Port Macquarie Dementia Friendly Community Alliance will persist in its efforts to enhance dementia awareness, supported by the Group 3 Rugby League and Referees Association, with a continued focus on educating about brain health in sports.

Younger Onset Dementia 

Guidance, Support, Peer Group

Following on from the survey that was opened on the 10th March 2023.

This project was implemented to determine the social and support needs of this group of people, this is just the beginning of an ongoing process as we believe there is a significant number of impacted people without a voice, or appropriate social and support requirements being met.

Lobbying for social support services for this group has continued. Dementia Australia recently announced they will establish a carer support group for carers of people living with YOD.

Download PDF
Sarah Ashton is a Dementia Friendly Community Alliance member and is living with dementia. Here is her story - see the Youtube link below.

Sarah Ashton is a Dementia Friendly Community Alliance member and is living with dementia. Here is her story - see the Youtube link below.

YouTube
<div>Resources for those in our region who are living with dementia. </div>

Resources for those in our region who are living with dementia.

Have you or a family member been recently diagnosed with dementia? Here is a link to booklet to support those living with a diagnosis: https://hnc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/LivingWithDementia_A4Booklet_Dec22_web.pdf

Port Macquarie has the 2nd highest rate of people living with dementia in NSW

You may be wondering, is it dementia or is it just being forgetful? 
Here are early signs of dementia to be aware of:
  • Memory disrupting daily life
  • Repetitive behaviour
  • Difficulty doing familiar tasks
  • Social isolation
  • Confusion about time and place
  • Problems with abstract thinking
  • Loss of initiative
  • Poor or decreased judgement
  • Language problems
  • Other behavioural changes
If you are concerned or just have some questions and want to know more, there's lots of help available. Be engaged, don't be afraid.
Find out more about head trauma and other contributing factors on the Dementia Australia website, or at the following sites:

YouTube

A virtual tour of Port Macquarie's coastal walk

Local musician Graeme Atkins, who is living with younger onset dementia, sings his important message while we travel on a virtual tour of Port Macquarie's coastal walk. Graeme promotes Dementia Awareness and explains how COVID 19 has affected people living with Dementia.

Posted on the Bridging the Distance Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/797392867456736

Get Involved

The Fifth Season Film Project

The Greater Port Macquarie Dementia Friendly Community Alliance presents The 5th Season Film 2021.


COVID-19 has been a unique period in history. This film aims to capture the experience for people living with dementia through that time. It is important to record these stories as part of our history for future generations. Participants in the film include individuals with a diagnosis of dementia, family carers, medical staff and support staff.



Making terrarium gardens at the Port Macquarie Museum

Making terrarium gardens at the Port Macquarie Museum

Participants enjoyed the experience of creating small gardens in a unique community space at the Port Macquarie Museum. The community engagement, focus on improved communication and making an item of beauty all contributed to the participants enjoyment of these workshops. 
Get Involved

Younger Onset Dementia Hub

You may be wondering, is it dementia or is it just being forgetful? 
Here are early signs of dementia to be aware of:
  • Memory disrupting daily life
  • Repetitive behaviour
  • Difficulty doing familiar tasks
  • Social isolation
  • Confusion about time and place
  • Problems with abstract thinking
  • Loss of initiative
  • Poor or decreased judgement
  • Language problems
  • Other behavioural changes
If you are concerned or just have some questions and want to know more, there's lots of help available. Be engaged, don't be afraid.
Find out more about head trauma and other contributing factors on the Dementia Australia website, or at the following sites:

YouTube
<div>Heritage Week 2022 - Creative Curiosity Workshops</div>

Heritage Week 2022 - Creative Curiosity Workshops

These workshops provided community engagement, fostered exploration and curiosity for people living with dementia. Participants were found to improve their communication and expressed pleasure with the experience taking place among historical items in the local museum where hidden stories were discovered. Feedback from participant H “I enjoyed it very much. I liked the questions and all the different answers. My grandmother had a fox collar so that part reminded me of her. I liked being right next to the Glasshouse. That was a surprise. I want to go back to the museum and look at everything because a member of my family has her wedding dress there. I have been thinking about my visit a lot.”

Get Involved
<div><br></div>Playgroup with older adults


Playgroup with older adults

The importance of play for people living with dementia is about creating emotional connections with other people and allowing the freedom to express oneself.

Intergenerational contact improves wellbeing and contributes to a happier more fulfilled life as seen on the recent ABC series “Old Peoples Home for 4 Year Old’s”. In this program we saw individuals on equal footing and their fears were gradually broken down by the children sharing special times with joy and laughter. The positive health and wellbeing outcomes were indeed measurable.

We saw an opportunity after viewing this program to create something similar in the Port Macquarie area, noting that there are children whose grandparents are removed by distance who gravitate toward older people. 

Taking advice from groups such as Intergenerational Playgroup Australia and in conjunction with local aged care providers, such as St Agnes Hostel, we created a program of weekly visits with mothers and children. It began with a few residents of the facility gathering in the sitting area and the children and older adults broke the ice and formed relationships quickly, learning each other's names engaging with each other and playing together. At each gathering more of the facilities residents came to take part. For some, getting to dress up and interact with the children became the highlight of their week!

The mothers believe it is a valuable experience for all involved, as it teaches children patience, kindness and empathy. For the older adults a sense of joy, playfulness and affinity with the children and parents was gained. In the words of one parent, 

“There was a real genuine warmth to the welcome we received each week and a sweet sadness when we left”. 


During the group's exchanges, they created artworks, played games, told stories, sang songs and had many serious and playful conversations.
Due to Covid-19 and the social distancing practises at the aged care residence, the group is currently in hiatus. They have been sending pictures to each other as well as artworks and letters and are thinking of how best to organise a drive-by party so the group can see and wave to each other.

The group remains hopeful that they will recommence face to face activities as soon as is feasible.

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Photos courtesy of Wilkie Productions.