CARER FAQs
Here you will find the Frequently Asked Questions and Answers on the My Dementia Companion CARER tool and how it will help you on your dementia journey.
Why do I have to Register with my email to use it?
The dementia journey can be long, complex and busy. Often you can lose track of useful support information. Registering with your email allows you to save useful items and remember your progress, so you won't lose where you got up to when you exist and come back.
Please note, if you don't click "Sign out", you will stay signed in.
I have a question, how can I get help?
If you have any questions or are stuck, you can click on the blue “Questions?” button or the chat icon within the app.
You can also click here to contact us.
I have an issue with my registration
Please click here for user tips on the registration process or contact us.
How do I access the CARER tool?
You can always click on the “Launch Tool” button on our website.
You can also create app-like shortcuts to the CARER tool on your desktop or smartphone. You can click here to learn more.
Is My Dementia Companion recognised within the industry?
Yes, we have been recognised within the industry after winning various awards and grants. We are also listed as a key dementia care resource on various websites. You can click here to learn more.
You can also scroll down to learn more about how we keep the CARER up-to-date, ensure quality and maintain security.
Why does the CARER tool charge a fee?
As a passion project, the CARER tool has been free since launched in 2019, so everyone could benefit. Over time, the tool has become very sophisticated, and this has resulted in increased demand for our volunteers (who continue to work day and night on top of their day jobs to help), but also increased costs maintaining IT systems and developing new features.
For us to be sustainable to support more people going forward, we started with a small subscription fee for NEW users in late 2022. You can click here to learn more.
Can the CARER be paid for by the Home Care Package or the NDIS funding?
Yes, it can. Please work with your care provider to let them know that the CARER supports the person through their dementia journey, improves health and wellbeing, reduces risks, develops care and coping strategies and more, so they can live more independently and safely at home.
How do I activate my CARER subscription?
You can activate your subscription before, on or after the free trial period. You can click here to learn more.
How long should I use My Dementia Companion CARER each time?
Each time you use My Dementia Companion, you can use it for as long (or as short) as you like. It is designed to save your progress automatically (no need to hit "Save") as you go through the tool. If you exit and come back, you can pick up exactly where you left off.
If you don't click "Sign out", you will stay signed in.
It is important to log back in periodically and progress through some Sections or Topics, so you can stay on top of the dementia journey. It’s always better to get ahead of things and prevent matters worsening than fixing something later.
I'm a busy carer and do I need to learn all of this?
Investing to learn new skills to manage dementia challenges can be daunting at the start, but it will make life much easier later. Also, because dementia has no cure, learning ways to cope and developing care strategies yourself is the only way to be able to live well and independently with dementia.
In addition, the CARER tool makes this learning experience much easier by stepping you through one bite-sized Section at time, which you can go through at your own pace over the whole dementia journey.
You can click here to learn more about what does the dementia care and the dementia journey mean for you, as a family/ friend carer.
Do I need to click a Save button to save my progress?
No, My Dementia Companion CARER automatically saves your progress as you go. If you exist and come back, you can pick up exactly where you left off."
Can I use it on my phone and tablet?
My Dementia Companion CARER works best in Google Chrome on your desktop computer or your smartphone, including Safari. It is not yet available as an "app" for your tablets (such as iPads) and not compatible with Internet Explorer.
Is there a tutorial I can follow?
There are three ways you can learn more about how to use the CARER tool:
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Watch our short 3 minute demo video here (including transcript)
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Start the online tool and then go through the Topic called "Welcome! Start here for carer basics and more"
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Come along to one of our live online demo sessions by clicking here.
What type of support information will I find in My Dementia Companion CARER?
You will find a wealth of practical support information from professionals and other carers. Together, they guide you to finding help and develop care strategies to cope and care well.