Providing dementia consulting, cognitive rehabilitation, education, and support for individuals living with dementia and their care partners, with a focus on safety, independence, and quality of life.
About me
As a dementia consultant and AHPRA-registered occupational therapist, I provide evidence-based approaches tailored specifically for individuals living with dementia and their care partners. My expertise combines specialised training in the COPE Program and GREAT Cognitive Rehabilitation with a commitment to continuously expanding my knowledge through emerging research and best practices.
My passion centres on reablement for individuals with dementia so they can remain in the comfort and familiarity of home—where independence and meaningful engagement naturally flourish. I deeply understand that dementia affects not just the individual, but the entire family system. This understanding drives my strong focus on empowering care partners with practical strategies and emotional support, reducing burnout risk while enhancing overall well-being
With a solid foundation in occupational therapy, my approach honours each person as a whole—recognising their unique story, preferences, and abilities. By respecting the individual living with dementia and the essential role of their care partners, I create personalised care strategies that preserve dignity, nurture independence, and ultimately improve the quality of life for everyone involved in this journey.
Crystal O’Donnell | BSc. Occupational Therapy | Dementia Consultant & Occupational Therapist
You don't have to walk this path alone
The experience of dementia can be overwhelming, whether you are living with the condition or supporting a loved one. A new diagnosis often brings fear, grief, and uncertainty. If you or a loved one are in the early stages of dementia, it is completely natural to need time to process the changes—and you may not feel ready to talk just yet. Wherever you are on your journey, we are here to meet you with compassion, understanding, and support.
Together, we will create a personalised plan that reflects your unique needs and goals, combining your living experience of dementia with our professional knowledge. The focus will always be on enhancing well-being and empowering you every step of the way. We’re not just here to offer solutions—we’re here to walk alongside you with compassion and hope that you or a loved one can continue to live a meaningful life, even as dementia presents new challenges.
Services
Our comprehensive services include dementia consulting, cognitive rehabilitation, education, and dedicated care partner support through programs like COPE. We believe in partnership—your active participation in our services helps create the most meaningful and lasting outcomes.
Dementia Consulting
For People Living with Dementia:
- Understanding Your Unique Story
- A holistic assessment that recognises your individual strengths and resources, while addressing challenges affecting your safety, independence, and engagement in daily activities that matter to you.
- Enhance your understanding of dementia, exploring how brain changes and environmental factors influence your experiences and abilities.
- Supporting Daily Living
- A thoughtful review of your routines to identify factors affecting your well-being—from personal care and nutrition to sleep, medication management, and social connections.
- Assessment of your home environment to reduce risk while maximising safety, independence, and meaningful engagement.
- Preserving What Matters Most
- Goal setting aligned with your personal values and priorities, focusing on your current concerns while promoting independence and quality of life through fulfilling activities.
- Cognitive rehabilitation in familiar settings—your home or community—helping you maintain independence and engagement in daily life.
- Non-pharmacological approaches to reduce symptom impact, enabling you to live well with dementia.
- Honouring Your Voice
- Foster collaboration and effective communication strategies that prioritise your active participation in your own care journey.
- Ensure your voice is heard and your wishes respected, especially around future planning.
- Connections to other health professionals and services that may enhance your well-being.
For Care Partners:
- Building Understanding and Connection
- Deepen your understanding of dementia and how it affects your loved one’s experiences, abilities, and perceptions.
- Learn to recognise that changes in behaviour often communicate unmet needs, opening new pathways for connection.
- Supporting Your Wellbeing
- Reduce overwhelm by addressing your specific concerns and connecting you with additional resources and services.
- Guidance on preparing for the future, helping you navigate transitions while protecting your own well-being and reducing burnout risk.
- Strengthening Your Caregiving Journey
- Communication strategies to maintain meaningful connections with your loved one, ensuring their needs and wishes are honoured now and in the future.
- Connection to additional health professionals and services that support your well-being throughout this journey.
The COPE program (Care of People with dementia in their Environments)
COPE is a compassionate, evidence-based intervention that supports individuals with dementia and their family or care partner.
A dementia diagnosis can impact a person’s ability to carry out everyday tasks, and this program is designed to help identify both the strengths and challenges they face. Working closely with an occupational therapist, we focus on supporting individuals with dementia to maintain their independence, stay engaged, and continue to live actively at home. At the same time, we offer guidance and support to family members and care partners, helping them provide the care needed while reducing the risk of burnout.
Research shows that the COPE program can enhance the well-being of both individuals with dementia and their care partners, and may even help delay the need for aged care placement, allowing individuals to stay in the comfort of their own homes for longer.
Is the COPE Program for you?
COPE is a program designed to provide personalised support for:
- Individuals with dementia who are living in the community and experiencing changes in their functional abilities or behaviours; and
- Informal care partners (such as family, friends, or neighbours) who are providing care and support to a loved one with dementia and are facing stress or challenges in their caregiving role.
For the best experience and outcomes, we encourage active involvement from both participants throughout the duration of the program, ensuring that both the person with dementia and their care partner are supported every step of the way.
Program overview
The COPE program is delivered in three phases—Assessment, Intervention, and Generalisability—through a series of one-hour sessions with a trained occupational therapist. This approach is designed to equip families with the education and practical skills needed to manage care challenges at home with confidence.
Assessment: The occupational therapist works closely with the individual and their care partner to evaluate roles, values, habits, abilities, and any concerns related to caregiving. This phase also includes providing valuable insights into health-related issues that may be linked to behavioural changes or functional decline.
Intervention: The therapist focuses on addressing specific concerns raised by the care partner, offering practical training on modifying the home environment, adapting daily activities, improving communication, and reducing stress. A personalised COPE prescription is created for each identified challenge, with tailored strategies designed to support positive changes.
Generalisability: In the final phase, the therapist works with care partners to build their capacity for independent problem-solving. This coaching helps them develop strategies to manage future challenges as they arise, ensuring sustainable care and ongoing empowerment.
Cognitive rehabilitation
Cognitive rehabilitation plays a vital role in helping individuals living with dementia stay engaged in the activities they love. In the earlier stages, dementia can present challenges with memory loss, difficulty concentrating, and impaired problem-solving skills. However, it’s important to recognise that sometimes, the hesitation to engage in meaningful activities stems more from a lack of confidence or fear of making mistakes, rather than the condition itself.
Cognitive rehabilitation offers practical, evidence-based strategies that are personalised to meet the individual’s unique needs. This support helps the person with dementia adjust to the cognitive changes they are experiencing, empowering them to identify and prioritise activities that are personally meaningful. Together, we explore alternative ways for them to participate and rediscover joy in life.
Despite the challenges of dementia, there is hope for regaining confidence and finding fulfilment in daily activities.
“We all MUST empower and re-enable people with dementia to continue to live, and to remain independent for as long as possible” Kate Swaffer
Coming Soon! Online support program for care partners
When a loved one receives a dementia diagnosis, it can feel like stepping into uncharted territory without a map. You might feel lost, unsure where to turn and fearful of the future. But you don’t have to walk this path alone.
Our 6-week online program (beta currently in development) will provide a supportive community where you can learn, share, and grow alongside others on a similar journey. This is not just about acquiring knowledge, it is about building confidence, connections, and finding balance as an individual with your own needs and as a care partner supporting a loved one with dementia.
What You’ll Gain
Throughout this program, you’ll develop practical skills and insights that honour both your loved one’s independence and your own well-being:
- Understanding Dementia: Explore how dementia affects relationships, behaviours, and daily life while recognising the person beyond the diagnosis
- Preserving Independence: Discover environmental adaptations, communication strategies, and cognitive rehabilitation approaches that support meaningful engagement
- Planning with Purpose: Learn about developing individualised care plans, having important conversations about wishes, and building a sustainable support network
- Caring for Yourself: Develop personal strategies to maintain your own wellbeing, relationships, and identity alongside your care partner role
Program Format
Our online format brings expertise, guidance and community support directly to you, fitting around your existing commitments:
- Weekly pre-recorded modules you can access at your convenience
- Live online group sessions for real-time connection and Q&A
- A private online community for support and resource sharing throughout the program
Is This Program Right for You?
This program is designed specifically for care partners supporting someone who:
- Has recently received a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or vascular dementia
- Is still living at home with a desire to maintain independence
- May or may not fully acknowledge their diagnosis or accept support
You will benefit most if you are fully engaged in the program and seeking to:
- Understand dementia beyond the medical model
- Build practical skills that support dignity and independence
- Connect with others who truly understand your experience
- Develop strategies that sustain both you and your loved one
Register Your Interest in Our Beta Program
We are seeking care partners to join our initial beta program at a reduced rate in exchange for valuable feedback to help shape the future of the program. Places will be limited to ensure each participant gets the support they need.
To register your interest in the program complete the Contact Form on the Dementia Together website or send an email directly to crystal@dementiatogether.com.au using reference “Beta”.
Your expression of interest places you under no obligation to participate. Once program dates are confirmed, you will receive program details and registration information.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
How do I refer myself or a loved one for services?
You can refer yourself directly, or ask a Health Professional, Support Coordinator, or Care Coordinator to make the referral on your behalf. Simply use the referral form on the Dementia Together website. The more details you can provide about your current concerns and support needs, the better we’ll be able to assess how we can best support your unique situation. We want to ensure that we’re the right fit for your journey, and providing as much information as possible will help us do just that.
Do you offer home based services?
Yes, as a mobile service, we offer dementia consulting and occupational therapy appointments in the comfort of your own home. By working within the familiar environment, we can gain a deeper understanding of the factors impacting safety and engagement, both in physical and social spaces. This approach allows us to create tailored strategies and practical modifications that fit seamlessly into daily routines, preferences, and goals—optimising outcomes.
Being in a familiar setting helps individuals with dementia feel more at ease during therapy, enabling our therapists to recommend changes that enhance safety and improve engagement with both the environment and activities that bring joy.
Will the upcoming beta program for care partners be available in-person?
The upcoming beta program for care partners will initially be offered online only. This allows us to provide flexible, accessible support to care partners no matter where they are, fitting around your existing commitments. We’re committed to creating a supportive, community-driven experience that you can engage with from the comfort of your own home. As we move forward, we’ll continue to assess the need for additional in-person options.
Do you offer services via telehealth?
Yes, we offer services via telehealth for individuals who live outside our supported areas or for those who prefer online consulting. This ensures that you can still receive the guidance, support, and expert advice you need, no matter where you are located. We aim to make our services as accessible and convenient as possible, so you can continue supporting your loved one with confidence, no matter the distance.
Do you provide services to individuals living in residential care or supported accommodation?
No, Dementia Together’s services are specifically designed to support individuals living with dementia who are in their own homes. Our focus is on helping people maintain their independence, safety, and quality of life within their familiar environment. We believe that providing support in the home is key to empowering both care partners and individuals with dementia to navigate their journey with confidence.
What locations do you cover?
We provide services to suburbs within a 30-minute radius of Parkwood, Western Australia. For those outside this area, we offer consultations and support via telehealth. If you live beyond the service area, please submit an enquiry through our website, and we will contact you to discuss available options.
What role do care partners play in the therapy process?
Care partners play a crucial role in the therapy process, as they spend significant time with the person living with dementia and are ideally positioned to support them in working on goals outside of therapy. Therapists work closely with care partners, providing education and coaching to help them understand the dementia diagnosis. We teach practical strategies that empower care partners to support their loved one in maintaining skills, engaging in meaningful activities, and living well with dementia.
How are Dementia Together’s services funded?
Dementia consulting and occupational therapy services can be funded through several sources in Australia and our fee structure includes travel costs where applicable.
If you are eligible for a Home Care Package (HCP), our services may be fully funded. However, we recommend checking with your HCP provider to confirm this throughout the transition to the Support At Home Program.
If funding under HCP is not available, you can choose to pay privately for our services. For private payments, a service agreement with Dementia Together is required, and payment is due within 7 days of receiving the invoice.
If you have private health insurance, we encourage you to check with your provider regarding coverage, rebates, and any unserved waiting periods, as you might be able to claim some costs.
Contact me
Get in touch
Crystal O’Donnell – Dementia Consultant and Occupational Therapist