Cabrini and Dementia Australia have launched a partnership for dementia-friendly rehabilitation facilities at Cabrini Brighton, in work generously funded by The Grenet Foundation.

The Grenet Foundation, which made a significant donation to Cabrini’s Community Cognition And Dementia Service, generously funded the work through Dementia Australia to work with Cabrini on the project.

The launch, held on August 30, was attended by Victorian MP Gabrielle Williams, Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Parliamentary Secretary for Carers and Volunteers.

Also in attendance were the founder of The Grenet Foundation Charles Tegner and his co-trustees Anne Hyams and Mark Fairbairn.

Cabrini currently has a major focus on rehabilitation and community-based services; we currently provide both inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation care across our hospitals located in Brighton and Elsternwick. Almost one-third of Cabrini’s total inpatient numbers have dementia.

Dementia Australia provides leadership in dementia policy and advocacy, risk reduction and services to assist people with dementia, their families, and carers. It provides education and support for professionals across all areas of dementia care including those working with patients with dementia in hospital settings.

The new rehabilitation facilities in Brighton are part of a program designed to address the increasing challenges for patients with dementia, which is increasing in the Australian community.

A dementia-friendly rehabilitation environment is one in which best-practice principles are applied to the environment, staff skills and clinical approaches. This enables people living with dementia to achieve the best possible health outcomes and quality of life.

“We are so grateful to The Grenet Foundation for funding these facilities, which will make such a life-changing difference to people with dementia, their families and carers,” said Director of the Cabrini Foundation, Sue Parkes.