Dementia Australia's Ask Annie app now available to all aged care workers

Ask Annie, a free and interactive app developed by Dementia Australia’s Centre for Dementia Learning, is now freely accessible to aged care workers looking to develop their person-centred care for those living with dementia.

The app now includes a new program for Residential Aged Care – Plan Behaviour Support, with an additional four modules and 19 lessons. This includes branched scenarios to provide workers with real world scenarios and decision-making opportunities to learn through trial and error.

Ask Annie now provides workers with a 24/7 resource for behaviour support planning, to ensure best practice, solutions-based thinking, and empathetic delivery of person-centred care.

Since the app was launched in June 2021, there has been more than 20,000 downloads, with 11,200 current active users.

Catherine Horne, General Manager (Clinical) at aged care service NoosaCare, said she appreciates the user-friendly nature of Ask Annie.

“You log in, and in the snap of a finger you’ve got a recommendation for how to address the situation,” she said.

“By helping our team, we are helping the residents and their families.”

A ‘coach in your pocket’

Dr David Sykes, Director Centre for Dementia Learning at Dementia Australia, said that this expansion of the app aims to provide a supportive resource to aged care workers in an accessible way.

“Aged care workers are tasked with such an important job in providing quality care for people living with dementia. Workers need to feel supported and well equipped with relevant training,” he said.

“Ask Annie can provide this support, as a ‘coach in your pocket’ encouraging solutions-based thinking using practical advice that workers can apply to their practice.”

Ask Annie is free to download for both iOS and Android smartphones through the relevant app stores. You can find out more about Ask Annie here, by calling 1300 DEMENTIA (1300 336 368) or by emailing [email protected],au.

Organisations can purchase a monitoring package of Ask Annie to track the progress and training of their staff. To find out more about purchasing a monitoring package, please contact [email protected] for further information.

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A special thanks to our contributors

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Caroline Egan

DCM Media, agedcare101

Caroline has a wealth of experience writing within the retirement and aged care sector and is a contributing journalist for the Villages.com.au and agedcare101 blog and accompanying newsletters.

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Ian Horswill

Journalist

Ian is a journalist, writer and sub-editor for the aged care sector, working at The DCM Group. He writes for The Weekly Source, agedcare101, villages.com.au and the DCM Institute fortnightly newsletter Friday. Ian is in daily contact with CEOs of retirement living, land lease and the aged care operations and makes a new contact every week. He investigates media releases, LinkedIn and Facebook for a good source for ideas for stories.

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Lauren Broomham

Retirement and Aged Care Journalist

Lauren is a journalist for villages.com.au, agedcare101 and The Donaldson Sisters. Growing up in a big family in small town communities, she has always had a love for the written word, joining her local library at the age of six months. With over eight years' experience in writing and editing, she is a keen follower of news and current affairs with a nose for a good story.

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Jill Donaldson

Physiotherapist

Jill has been practicing as a clinical physiotherapist for 30 years. For the last 13 years she has worked solely in the Aged Care sector in more than 50 metropolitan and regional facilities. Jill has also toured care facilities in the US and Africa and is a passionate advocate for both the residents in aged care and the staff who care for them. She researches and writes for DCM Media.

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Chris Baynes

DCM Media, agedcare101

Chris has been a journalist and publisher in the retirement village and aged care sectors for 11 years. He has visited over 250 retirement villages and 50 aged care facilities both within Australia and internationally. Chris is a regular speaker at industry conferences plus is a frequent radio commentator.

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Annie Donaldson

Nurse and Carer

Annie has a long career in both nursing and the media. She has planned and co-ordinated the medical support from both international TV productions and major stadium events. In recent years she has been a primary family carer plus involved in structured carer support.