Ashlee Osborne

Ash's role at Dementia Training Australia

Based in WA, Ash is passionate about educating those in healthcare environments how the environment contributes to good quality of life for those living with dementia.

She has over 30 years’ experience in the health and aged care industries as a Registered Nurse, educator, researcher and consultant. She has undertaken studies in Work Health and Safety, design and access. Ash is passionate about ensuring older people, particularly those living with dementia, have a good quality of life regardless of their physical, sensory or cognitive disabilities.

Ash has found it great to be able to sit down with managers and plan an education session that focusses on the most pressing environmental issues they are facing on their site, and then present the information in a way that is meaningful and relevant to the staff.

“It is always about the principles but there are so many ways of talking about them: our task is to find the best one for each place’.

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What you do at DTA

I am the WA environmental design consultant for DTA working as part of the national environmental design team.

What's your favourite part of your job?

I love having the opportunity to work with aged and health care providers across WA and seeing the variety of ways they support people living with dementia. I really enjoy learning about new and innovative ways of providing care and support, and feeling I can contribute to that care. I am also part of a great team and we constantly learn from each other.

How would your colleagues describe you?

My disclosure at the 2019 DTA forum that my large collection of books are displayed in rainbow colour order seems to have left a lasting impression and something I do get reminded of by colleagues. I’m not sure what that says about me, but I am happy to own it!

What’s a usual 'day in the office' like for you?

I largely work from home in beautiful Fremantle. My days starts with a hot cuppa before sunrise and a walk with my dog. Other than that, I have no 'usual' as I could be doing anything from visiting sites around WA, running workshops, talking on the phone or answering emails. Every day is different.

What's your favourite font and why?

Sadly I have a ready answer for that having considered this many times. I do like Helvetica. It is easily legible, has a clean, sans serif aesthetic and is a recommended font for those with low vision and dementia.

Something on your bucket list that you'd care to share?

To stop putting my books in rainbow order and care less about fonts!