Australia

Contact

Isobel Sanger – Master Trainer
Senior Research Associate, University of Canberra
Email: training@cstaustralia.com
Phone: +61 419 142 996

Robyn Lewis – CST Australia President
PhD Candidate, University of Canberra 
Email: info@cstaustralia.com
Phone: +61 432 778 27 

CST Australia Governance and Support

The objective of CST Australia is to create a point of connection for people interested in delivering, progressing or researching CST in Australia.

CST Australia is led by a volunteer Executive Committee of researchers, dementia care specialists, and policy experts. CST Australia membership is open to anyone who shares our commitment to expanding access to CST in Australia. The Membership Group contributes to decision-making for the organisation.

The CST Australia Community of Practice connects facilitators, researchers, organisations, and community members involved in or interested in CST.

The CST Australia Facilitator Support Group is a forum for CST facilitators to share experiences, strengthen their practice, and support each other in delivering CST.

For more information, please see https://www.cstaustralia.com/about-us

CST Facilitator Training – held in-person and online

Please visit https://www.cstaustralia.com/training-and-events

CST Provision

In the ACT, Canberra Health Services in partnership with the University of Canberra incorporates CST in a wellbeing program and study for people living with dementia and their carers. The Sustainable Personalised Intervention for Cognition, Care and Engagement (SPICE) is supported by the Dementia Australia Research Foundation.

In South Australia, CST is facilitated by undergraduate and postgraduate occupational therapy students from UniSA. This occurs as part of a structured foundational student placement and is delivered every year across six different aged care providers. Resthaven Incorporated has been providing CST groups in the Making Minds Matter program which was developed in 2019 through a project with Occupational Therapy students from UniSA.

CST Research Projects

Publications

D’Cunha, N. M. CST for people with dementia: What are the outcomes of facilitator training? University of Canberra (in progress)

D’Cunha, N. M., Bennett, M., Mitterfellner, R., Brennan, R., Wiseman, L., Isbel, S., Bail, K., Barrett, L., Rutherford, K., Huang, I., & Gibson, D. (2023). Preliminary Findings of an Active Multicomponent Lifestyle Intervention for People with Dementia and Their Carers: Mixed Methods Study. Health & Social Care in the Community, 2023, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/5395080

Murray, C. M., Gilbert-Hunt, S., Berndt, A., & de la Perrelle, L. (2016). Promoting participation and engagement for people with dementia through a cognitive stimulation therapy programme delivered by students: A descriptive qualitative study. The British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 79(10), 620–628. https://doi.org/10.1177/0308022616653972

Kanareck D, Mathie S, McCaskie H, Narunsky N, Finlay J, Draper B. (2015) Cognitive Stimulation Therapy – a pilot Australian adaptation. Australian Journal of Dementia Care, 4(1), 33-36.

Oral presentations

CST International Conference, Hong Kong June 2024: “CST in Australia – Past, Present and Future” I Sanger, A Cussen, R Lewis and N D’Cunha

Cognitive Stimulation Therapy - a pilot Australian adaption, National Dementia Research Forum 2014, Sydney

Poster presentations

Australian Association of Gerontology, Hobart, November 2024: “Creating a Cognitive Stimulation Therapy Community of Practice in Australia” R Lewis, I Sanger and N D’Cunha

International Dementia Conference, Sydney, September 2024: “Creating an Australian Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) Community of Practice” R Lewis, I Sanger and N D’Cunha

CST International Conference, Hong Kong June 2024: “CST Working Group in Australia – Planning, Engagement and Implementation” R Lewis, I Sanger and N D’Cunha

HammondCare 8th international Dementia Conference: Making a difference: July 2010 Sydney “Making a difference through collaboration: Cognitive Stimulation Therapy” L de la Perrelle

Change Champions seminar on challenging behaviours 30 April 2010 Sydney: “Cognitive Stimulation in partnership for quality outcomes for people with dementia, students and staff” A. Berndt and L de la Perrelle

Alzheimer’s Australia National Conference, Adelaide May 2009: “The benefits of Collaboration: CST implementation with UniSA, AASA and ACH Group: A Berndt and L de la Perrelle