CCAC26 Conference Program | Aged and Health Care Education

CCAC26

Clinical Care in Aged Care Conference

August 12 + 13, 2026

CONFERENCE PROGRAM

DAY 1 - Wednesday 12th August, 2026

0900 - 0915

Intro & Setting the Scene

The warmest of welcomes, introductions, a spot of housekeeping and an outline of the landscape & key themes for the 2days ahead.

Wayne Woff - Senior Consultant, AHCE & Conference Chair

Session 1: 0915 - 1000 (Presentation0915-0945; Q+A 0945-1000)

Health Literacy - a foundational component for clinical care excellence

Improving health literacy for older adults, their families and carers strengthens person centred care, informed decision making & collaborative engagement with care planning. With this approach, greater choice/independence and better health outcomes can be achieved. Topics covered in this session include health literacy audits, action plans, monitoring frameworks and training.

Presenter to be confirmed

Session 2: 1000 - 1045 (Presentation 1000-1030; Q+A 1030-1045)

Together for Better Dementia Care: Building Skills, Confidence and Compassion

This presentation will discuss how building the workforce while uplifting homes increases the quality of care for residents living with Dementia. The strategy has included integrating Dementia Australia’s and UTAS evidence-based resources into staff training and development programmes. This has fostered a culture of empathy, understanding and genuine person-centred care - enhancing confidence in delivering individually tailored interventions. Bupa’s commitment to excellence also includes a 5-badge certification for all homes focusing on the person, environment, know how, rostering and activities promoting innovation & compassionate service.

Robyn Attoe - Head of Dementia Services, Bupa Australia

1045 - 1115

AM Tea - Trade Display & Networking

Session 3: 1115 - 1200 (Presentation 1115-1145; Q+A 1145-1200)

Continence Care - Implementation of a new Evidenced Based Practice Model

My Continence Care – is an education program purposefully designed to build the capability of the direct care workforce in Residential Aged Care. By strengthening foundational knowledge and practical skills, the program empowers direct care staff to identify and respond to continence needs more effectively. This, in turn, supports clinical leaders by creating a more informed and proactive workforce, enabling better collaboration, reducing avoidable complications, and enhancing overall outcomes. Clinical leaders benefit from improved care consistency, reduced escalation of issues, and a workforce aligned with best-practice continence care principles.

Lauren Jackson - Project Lead - Oldeer People & Disability, Continence Health Australia

Session 4: 1200 - 1245 (Presentation 1200-1230; Q+A 1230-1245)

Syringe Drivers - maximising understanding & benefits

Let's examine

Background
Clinical considerations
What’s available on the market
Evidence-based practice
Critical thinking & problem solving

Aeh - Tanakorn Tapekumkun - Nurse Practitioner, Palliative Care

1245 - 1345

Lunch - Trade Display & Networking

Session 5: 1345 - 1430 (Presentation 1345-1415; Q+A 1415-1430)

The Benefits of Aged Care Onsite Pharmacist in Residential Aged Care

This session will examine the tangible benefits & improved outcomes since the implementation of the role of an onsite pharmacist. Discussion points include the Strengthened Standards, Person Centered Care, Antimicrobial Stewardship and Electronic Medication Management.

Merridy Baylis - Executive Manager Clinical Governance and Operational Excellence , Resthaven, SA

Session 6: 1430 - 1515 (Presentation 1430-1500; Q+A 1500-1515)

Dysphagia - meeting the challenge

Per the Speech Pathology Australia website, dysphagia may affect up to 22% of people aged 50 and over; this figure increases to 50% of people living in residential aged care facilities. This presentation will review definitions, causes, presentation, effects, assessment/diagnosis/referral, management, staff training .... in short, contemporary clinical governance.

Vanessa Chan - Founder, Swallowing and Dysphagia Support; Speech Pathology Team Lead; Chair, Australian IDDSI Reference Group (AUIRG)

1515 - 1545

PM Tea - Trade Display & Networking

Session 7: 1545 - 1630 (Presentation 1545-1615; Q+A 1615-15630)

Session / Presenter to be confirmed

0900 - 0915

Introduction to Day 2

Wayne Woff - Senior Consultant, AHCE & Conference Chair

Session 8: 0915 - 1000 (Presentation0915-0945; Q+A 0945-1000)

Bridging the Gap: Using Innovative Technology to Transform Aged Care Nursing Education

A session showcasing how innovative technology can transform aged care nursing education by bridging the gap between theory and practice. Through interactive platforms such as AI-generated case scenarios, Kahoot quizzes, Menti.com group discussions, gamified flashcards, and poster design tools, educators can move away from traditional learning into engaging, real-world experiences. Practical strategies to embed clinical reasoning, digital literacy, and reflective learning using authentic aged care situations will be discussed. Delegates will gain an insight into fostering curiosity, confidence, and critical thinking among nurses - empowering them to deliver safer, evidence-based, and person-centred care through modern, technology-enhanced education.

Hermoine Le - Senior Clinical Facilitator, Anglicare Sydney

Session 9: 1000 - 1045 (Presentation 1000-1030; Q+A 1030-1045)

Clinical Care at Home: Improving the Quality of Life for Older Adults

This session shares emerging insights from ongoing research into how clinician-led care delivered in the home-whether through the intensive Restorative Care Program or other Support at Home services-affects older adults’ quality of life. Using a mixed-method approach, Care Connect are combining WHOQOL-BREF scores with phenomenological interviews to capture both measurable changes and lived experiences. Early findings explore whether clinical interventions enhance autonomy, dignity, and daily functioning, and which elements of care participants value most. Delegates will gain practical perspectives on integrating person-centred quality-of-life measures into service design.

Tania Hobbs - Operations Manager Clinical Services, Care Connect

1045 - 1115

AM Tea - Trade Display & Networking

Session 10: 1115 - 1200 (Presentation 1115-1145; Q+A 1145-1200)

Unveiling the Hidden Epidemic: Chronic Lower Limb Oedema in Older Adults

Chronic lower limb oedema is highly prevalent among older adults and is associated with impaired mobility, reduced quality of life, and complications such as wounds and cellulitis. Early identification and management are critical to mitigating adverse outcomes. This presentation reports findings from two recent Australian studies, the largest known to date, investigating the prevalence, characteristics, and risk factors of chronic lower limb oedema in community-dwelling and residential aged care populations.

Maree O'Connor, Lymphoedema Physiotherapist, Educator, Researcher; Founder of Lymphoedema Education Solutions

Session 11: 1200 - 1245 (Presentation 1200-1230; Q+A 1230-1245)

I Stopped Trying To Sleep ...

... and sleep returned. Striving for good sleep is one of the biggest psychological battles many older Australians face. Most of the clinical support available is symptom led with interventions being started, stopped, reintroduced ... usually with little ongoing benefit. In this session, Samuel shares client success stories who have restored good sleep by desensitising their nervous system, and paradoxically, stopped worrying about sleep itself. He will also share how through his work focusing on anxiety recovery, he discovered that nervous system desensitisation is the missing link to restoring good sleep and show you how to support your clients to achieve the same success.

Samuel Eddy - Founder, Open Change; Educator; Speaker; Executive Coach

1245 - 1345

Lunch - Trade Display & Networking

Session 12: 1345 - 1430 (Presentation 1345-1415; Q+A 1415-1430)

COPD - easing the burden

In older adults, COPD's prevalence is significant, disease burden high & management can be complex. It is a leading cause of preventable hospitalisation, and is often underdiagnosed. Let's examine what contemporary and evidence based clinical practice and client support looks like in 2026.

Presenter to be confirmed

Session 13: 1430 - 1515 (Presentation 1430-1500; Q+A 1500-1515)

AI & its potential - where the heck do we start?

AI has the potential to deliver measurable impacts on client outcomes, workforce efficiency, the "documentation burden" & organisational budgets. Key discussion points in this presentation will include - starting small; change management (client, staff & stakeholder engagement); building trust; integration not disruption; communication, monitoring & review.

Presenter to be confirmed

1515 - 1530

Conference wrap & close

A final summation of the 2 days of learning, sharing & discussion ...

Wayne Woff - Senior Consultant, AHCE & Conference Chair