The DAWN Program

Supporting People with Dementia and their Carers in the Blue Mountains.

What is the DAWN Program?

The DAWN (Dementia And Wellbeing Navigation) program is a multidisciplinary program to empower and support people with dementia who live at home along with their carers. Sessions are at home or centre based and there is no cost.

The DAWN Program encompasses:

The COPE Program - an evidence based occupational therapy program equipping carers and engaging people with dementia in meaningful activities.
Carer Stress Reduction and Support session with a social worker
An activity engagement session
Support Group for Carers of People with Dementia

What does it involve?

DAWN is an 8 session program covering:

Education about dementia
Effective communication with people with dementia
Strategies to address care challenges
Stress reduction support Meaningful activities for the person with dementia

Ongoing support is then available through the Support Group for Carers of People with Dementia.

What are the benefits?

The DAWN program aims to support participants through the Support Group for People with Dementia, leisure and physical activities, and provision of the COPE Program.*

The COPE program has demonstrated significant improvements in:

a carer’s ability to manage day to day caregiving
a carer's ability to handle new problems and reduce feelings of being overwhelmed
the person with dementia increasing their enjoyment in doing activities alone

For more information about the COPE program, please refer to www.copeprogram.com.au

*The COPE program is available in Australia following a translational research project by the University of Sydney and Flinders University, funded by the Cognitive Decline Partnership Centre. It is available with permission from the developers of the COPE program in the US.

How can you access the DAWN program?

If you are a resident of the Blue Mountains LGA and would like to register yourself or someone else for this program, please complete our online registration form here >

If you need assistance, have any questions or would like more information on the DAWN program, the best way to make an enquiry is to contact us…

By emailing the Belong BM Intake team:

intake@belongbm.org.au

Or calling our Occupational Therapists:

Lower Mountains Neighbourhood Centre

02 4739 1164

Would you like to consider volunteering to help people with dementia and their carers?

Have you known someone with Dementia? Would you like to be able to help people with dementia and their Carers in a meaningful way?

The DAWN program runs weekly activity groups and would love to have some extra hands to help us make sure each participant feels valued and included. We also have Carers who would love a friendly face to visit with their loved one at home, to give them a much needed break.

Whether you have an hour to spare every now and then, or can commit to a regular group, we'd love to chat with you about volunteering opportunities that might suit you.

If you'd like to find out more about volunteering, please get in touch with our program coordinators Gillian and Vania at Lower Mountains Neighbourhood Centre - call 4739 1164, email intake@belongbm.org.au or send a message via our website contact us form.

You can also register your interest in volunteering now by completing our online expression of interest form here >

More Information

The Belong Blue Mountains DAWN Program Team is based at:

Lower Mountains Neighbourhood Centre

33 Hope Street, Blaxland

Phone: 02 4739 1164

Email: intake@belongbm.org.au

Interpreters:

We access the National Translating and Interpreting Service.

Feedback or Complaints:

We welcome feedback to improve our services. Please contact us at the above contact details or by submitting an message via our website. Go to our contact us form >

Alternatively, for feedback or complaints, you can access the following services:

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission: 1800 951 822

Older Persons Advocacy Network: 1800 700 600

Commonwealth Ombudsman: 1300 362 072