McCusker Nurse Service set to expand

The award winning McCusker Nurse Service is expanding in response to a growing need to support the carers of those living with dementia.

The number of Australians living with dementia is set to rise to about 400,000 within the next decade. Along with this growth, the need to support carers is escalating.

In 2011, Western Australia aged care provider, Amana Living, launched the McCusker Nurse Service, described as the first of its kind in Australia, funded by the McCusker Charitable Foundation. The service offers free support to the carers of those living with dementia, helping them to understand the condition and to navigate the services available to them.

The McCusker Nurse was quickly inundated with pleas for help and it soon became clear that there was a huge demand for the service.

The McCusker Charitable Foundation has therefore extended funding for three years to enable Australia’s first McCusker Nurse to continue to support those within her catchment of Perth’s northern suburbs.

Amana Living has secured funding for a second nurse, to be based in Perth’s southern suburbs, and is looking to establish a telephone support service for carers and people living with dementia in rural and remote areas.

“Those who are caring for loved ones living with dementia are desperate for emotional and practical support. They want help in understanding the condition and accessing services, someone they can talk to who knows how to provide the answers,” Amana Living chief executive, Ray Glickman, said.

“That’s why we launched the service, but we didn’t expect to see such a huge response so quickly.

“We’re delighted that the McCusker Charitable Foundation will be extending its support, and that we have secured funding for a second nurse. We now have our sights set on a team of nurses and a way to support those in remote regions too.”

The service has achieved a 95% customer satisfaction rating – an excellent result for a service that is racing to meet demand. The earlier carers seek help after diagnosis the better, and the McCusker Nurse aims to respond as quickly as possible. However, the demands are constantly increasing and there are thousands of carers who don’t yet have access to this unique free service.

Australia’s first McCusker Nurse, Karen Malone, will speak at The Carers’ Big Day Out on Monday, 14 October (10am-3pm), at Scarborough Community Centre.