Connecting Peers: A Lifeline for Those Impacted by Dementia

"The best thing since my diagnosis." — Gail Morley, living with Alzheimer's disease

A Program Born from Shared Experience

Launched as a pilot by Dementia Australia in July 2022, the 'Connecting Peers' program emerged from a powerful source: a group of advocates living with dementia who, in 2021, identified a deep need to speak with others who had walked the same path after diagnosis.

The program is a one-to-one peer support model based on mutual support, co-designed with people living with dementia and their carers. A wide-ranging consultation process—including surveys, focus groups, and in-depth interviews—shaped its final form.

How the Model Works

Peer Leaders—people living with dementia or carers/former carers—are carefully matched with individuals newly impacted by a diagnosis. Matching is based on preferences such as diagnosis, care relationship, gender, age, and shared interests. All connections occur via phone, enabling nationwide participation regardless of location.

Proven Success and Growing Demand

A formative evaluation by NSF Consulting in June 2023 reported the pilot as a "significant success," describing the program as "an important program that fills a need for 1:1 peer support for people living with dementia." The model is built on best practice peer support principles, specifically tailored for people with cognitive impairment.

As of the 2024-2025 financial year, more than 100 Peer Leaders were involved, delivering over 900 hours of support. Demand is surging: requests for support in 2025-2026 are 50% higher than the same period the previous year.

Voices from the Program

Peer Leader Ann Pietsch reflects on the reciprocal nature of the work: "I get as much as I give." Fellow Peer Leader Scott Cooper shares a forward-looking hope: to be a positive role model for others navigating the same journey.