Implementing the Tailored Activity Program in Australia.

The intervention is the Tailored Activity Program (TAP) which is an occupational therapist-led intervention for people with dementia or probable dementia and their care partners living in the community. TAP is an evidence-based program that was developed in the USA and has been shown to effectively reduce behavioural and psychological symptoms (BPSD) in people living with dementia, in addition to other positive outcomes. TAP is provided by Occupational Therapists (OTs) in 7-8 X 1 hour home visits over 3-4 months (i.e. approximately one visit per fortnight, one visit may be via telephone). The program manual was developed by researchers at Johns Hopkins University in the US. TAP has been adapted by the Australian research team to better suit the Australian context and occupational therapists will be asked to provide the program in 6 sessions (approximately one per fortnight), and three sessions may be conducted remotely. Prior to implementing TAP-Australia, OTs will receive training in TAP methods and education about dementia. The training will include: - 6 X 50 minute online learning modules about TAP from Drexel University in the USA (where TAP was developed and validated), - additional online training about the implementation of TAP-Australia provided by the Research team, including education about dementia, BPSD and effective intervention and communication strategies, as well as strategies for implementing TAP (approximately 8 hours). This training will be provided by experts in the field who will employ sound educational strategies to promote learning and understanding of dementia and dementia care (e.g. factual information, interactive learning, case studies), - Coaching calls (approximately 1 hour in total) by the research team to support OTs when they have commenced providing TAP-Australia. OTs will be able to implement TAP-Australia immediately following completion of the training. TAP procedures are detailed in the TAP manual that includes assessments, session plans and intervention strategies. The OT assesses the person’s capabilities and strengths, and teaches carers to tailor and adapt meaningful activities (any activity that is important or personally meaningful to the person with dementia), use effective communication strategies, generalise these skills to other activities of daily living, understand environmental triggers for BPSD, and utilise stress reduction strategies for themselves. The OTs will keep a record of the number of sessions provided to clients and interventions implemented and will forward this information to the research team.