Partnership Centre for Cognitive and Functional
Decline – An alternative respite model - Weavers
Formal Title
Weavers program – an alternative respite model for older people with cognitive
decline and their carers
Method
Evaluation study
Investigators
Funding
RDNS: Assoc Prof Susan Koch (Principle Investigator)
Helping Hand: Ms Megan Corlis
NHMRC Cognitive Decline Partnership Centre
Duration
2015 to 2016
Status
Completed
Key Achievements:
Weavers in their interviews provided overwhelming support for the responsive, focussed and flexible
approach to the program adopted by TACSI and the Local Connector. The Weavers also highlighted the
orientation to the role of Weaver and Learning Lunches as important tools for positioning them to
successfully undertake the role of a Weaver and for gaining peer and other support. Carers identified just
talking to the Weaver as the most important support that Weavers provided, enabling the development of a
positive relationship and communication between Weaver and Carer.
The main two outcomes achieved for Carers were increased assertiveness about their own needs and
decreased depression (increased emotional wellbeing). There was evidence that the four program pathways
identified in the revised program theory were all at work in the program. Among the small number of
survey respondents, Carers were more positive about having learned new skills or knowledge than having
learned about or used new services.
Contribution to Knowledge:
While there were only small numbers of Weaver-Carer matches to assess at the time of the evaluation, the data
suggests the more similar the experience of the Weaver to the Carer, the more successful the match, including
achievement outcomes. Given the positive outcomes and learnings the following is a summary of
recommendations:
 continue to explore models that draw from the direct and lived experience of those that are currently in the
caring role and consider innovative and alternative options for Carers
 investigate whether Weavers can be purchased as a product through customer led funding such as Consumer
Directed Care program and the new Integrated Carer Support Service (currently being designed)
 co-design (designing services in direct collaboration with consumers) approaches are to be applied to learn
from community to better target services
 future projects consider recruitment a major component of research
Publications:
Weavers Evaluation Report 2015-2016 submitted to the Cognitive Decline Partnership Centre
http://sydney.edu.au/medicine/cdpc/documents/resources/weavers-evaluation-report.pdf