Chris Leatherland (RN Division 1 MRCNA)

Founder and director of Australian Dementia Support has worked in the field of Aged Care for 30 years.

Her experience includes:

	Family counselling
	Consultancy in residential dementia care
	Clinical Dementia Consultant to an Aged Care Assessment Service
	Community Health Nurse on an Aged Care Assessment Service
	Conference Co-ordination
	Hospital Emergency Department consultancy in the care of dementia patients
	Clinical teaching of university nursing students
	Nurse Advisor for Department of Human Services (VIC)
	Author of Resource and Information Manual for supported residential services (Department of Human Services publication)
	Auditing of Community Nursing Services for dept. Veterans’ Affairs

More importantly, Chris cared for her mother through her long dementing illness.
This experience with the early onset dementia of her beloved mother, whilst also raising a young family gave Chris the passion and commitment to help others in a similar situation, and to work tirelessly to improve the care of dementia sufferers and to support their carers.

Chris understands and has experienced the many issues faced by carers such as: -

	Grief and loss
	Dilemmas over the relinquishing of care for respite of permanent residential placement
	Frustration and concerns over handling changing behaviours
	Loss of sleep
	Continence issues
	Wandering

Chris’s vision is to develop a service that will assist carers and the sufferer of dementia by: -

	Providing practical help and support through difficult situations such as starting at Day Care, or moving to respite or permanent care.
	Being a ‘constant’ in the lives of those living with the dementing illness.
	Being an advocate with the multiplicity of other services