COPE program
Care of Older Persons in their Environment
The Care of Older Persons in their Environment (COPE) program is a structured occupational therapy and nursing intervention for people with dementia and their caregivers living at home that is designed to assist people with dementia and their carers to independently manage everyday activities.
The program that has its own dedicated website, works at a very practical level using occupational therapy and complimentary nursing skills to help both the carer and the person with dementia to achieve daily tasks.
The program, derived from the COPE program in the US developed by Professor Laura Gitlin from Johns Hopkins University, is proven to reduce dependency, increase engagement in the person with dementia and improve carer wellbeing.
Losing function is a core feature of dementia and can lead to premature dependence and loss of function without an occupational and nursing intervention program.
Part of the COPE project is a translational study to assess the feasibility and costs of implementing the program delivery in the Australian health care system.