How Allied Health and Dementia Rehabilitation can help

November 30, 2023

Allied health professionals can help people living with dementia to maximise mobility, meaningful activities and relationships. This is called dementia rehabilitation. 

Learn more about how dementia rehabilitation helped Anna stay socially, mentally and physically active.

Anna’s story

Anna’s GP asked Anna what matters to her. Anna identified cooking and maintaining her veggie garden as things she loved and wanted to continue to do. Her GP rang My Aged Care to make a referral to allied health.

  • An occupational therapist with experience in dementia came to Anna’s home to help her with strategies and environmental modifications to optimise cooking and maintaining her veggie patch.
  • After gaining confidence, Anna mentioned she would like to get back to playing bowls. A speech pathologist helped Anna work on strategies to remember people’s names. With Anna’s permission, the speech pathologist provided members of the bowls club with communication training.
  • The community physiotherapist helped Anna with exercises for her knee arthritis and provided her with a bowls specific stick to take the load off her knee when playing.
  • Lawn mowing and shopping assistance through My Aged Care made it easier for Anna to continue gardening and cooking.

Anna’s mood and frustration improved as her physical and social activity increased.

Dementia rehabilitation program

Delivered by Encara, the in-home Dementia Rehabilitation Program aims to improve access to allied health-led rehabilitation activities to support independence and wellbeing. Led by a team of Allied Health Professionals, the program combines therapeutic interventions, education, and personalised care, integrating allied health with aromatherapy, art therapy and music therapy.

How to make a referral

People aged 65+ years old living with dementia in the Mornington Peninsula Shire, City of Casey, Frankston, City of Greater Dandenong and Kingston are eligible for the Dementia Rehabilitation Program.

To find out more, or make a referral, visit Encara's website.

If you have an enquiry about the program please email dementia@encara.com.au.

Allied Health and Dementia brochure

Latest news

April 3, 2025
On Tuesday 1 April we were delighted to attend the official opening of the new headspace centre in Dorcas Street, South Melbourne - a beautiful, large, bright, and welcoming space, designed to accommodate the needs of its diverse community.
April 1, 2025
The Victorian Government’s Doctors in Secondary Schools (DiSS) program has provided health care treatment and support to more than 24,000 high school students between 2017 and 2023, according to a recent evaluation by the Victorian Department of Education.
March 27, 2025
From 1 November 2025 every general practice will benefit from expanded eligibility for MBS bulk billing incentives to all Australians with a Medicare card.
Share by: