Congratulations to Mrs Val Fell and Dr Lyn Phillipson, for their poster “The benefits of long-term collaboration between researcher & advocate: support, respite & dementia” presented at the Australian Dementia Forum in Hobart in June.
A trophy, presented by the NHMRC National Institute for Dementia Research, was awarded to Val for “Best poster by a Public Travel Award Recipient.”
The poster describes the long-term partnership between Val Fell and Dr Phillipson and how this has led to many activities and improvements for people with dementia and their carers living in the Illawarra region and beyond.
Val is a community leader with over 15 years’ track record of advocacy for services for people with dementia and their carers in the Illawarra Shoalhaven region. Her advocacy began when her husband was diagnosed with dementia. She joined Alzheimer’s Australia and became a member of the Illawarra Community Advisory Committee. After her husband’s death, Val trained as group leader and formed the Corrimal Dementia Carers Support Group in 2013.
Val became a peer educator with the Council on the Ageing (COTA) for two projects, “Internet Safety” and “The CDC program.” She is currently working with COTA on the pilot “NAVIGATOR” program.
In 2012, she began the annual Illawarra Dementia Forum
(public awareness raising public lecture). Recently, Val spoke at the Royal Commission, and has written submissions to other government enquiries.
After completing two Massive Open Online Courses in Dementia in 2017, she commenced studying a Bachelor of Dementia Care.
“Working with Val and her community connections has helped me stay in contact with how changes in the service system are impacting carers and people with dementia at the coalface,” said
Dr Phillipson.
“Together we are stronger – and the ability for research and advocacy to make a real impact in people’s lives is enhanced.”