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"I really think the training that PITCH offers will make a difference to how HCWs approach clients who live with dementia and improve so many people’s lives."
- Researcher and Nurse at a service provider in South Australia

  • 70% of Australians with dementia live in the community. 
  • Limited evidence exists about effective models or interventions of home care to improve home care for people with dementia.
  • The quality of home care influences quality of life and the ability to remain independent for many people with dementia.
  • NHMRC’s ‘Clinical Practice Guidelines and Principles of Care for People with Dementia’ and the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety stressed the need for adequate training, and specific dementia training for care workers.

I know they’re not trained in dementia’: Addressing the need for specialist dementia training for home care workers

Group of people attending a PITCH workshop

What is PITCH?

The NHMRC-funded Promoting Independence Through quality Care at Home (PITCH) co-designed a dementia training program delivered to home care workers.

Partners of the co-design process included:

  • People living with dementia
  • Family carers
  • Home care workers
  • Home care service managers
  • Dementia experts
  • Training and education professionals

to ensure that the PITCH program reflects what the people who actually use or provide home care, want to know.

Co-designing a dementia-specific education and training program for home care workers: The ‘Promoting Independence Through quality dementia Care at Home’ Project

How is PITCH being evaluated?Group of people attending a PITCH workshop

PITCH has recently completed a stepped-wedged cluster trial with seven service providers across three Australian states to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.

Promoting Independence Through quality dementia Care at Home (PITCH): a research protocol for a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised controlled trial

Other publications

I know they’re not trained in dementia’: Addressing the need for specialist dementia training for home care workers

Co-designing a dementia-specific education and training program for home care workers: The ‘Promoting Independence Through quality dementia Care at Home’ Project

Promoting Independence Through quality dementia Care at Home (PITCH): a research protocol for a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised controlled trial

For further information please contact Dr Anita Goh.