Cognitive Dementia and Memory Service (CDAMS)

The CDAMS team includes:

• Geriatrician
• Psychogeriatrician
• Neuropsychiatrist
• Neuropsychologist
• Clinical Nurse Coordinator
• Keyworkers who come from a variety of nursing and allied health backgrounds including  Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, Registered Nurses and Neuropsychologists.

• A thorough and sensitive assessment 
• Expert clinical diagnosis
• Information on appropriate treatment options
• Post diagnosis education, support and future planning advice with Keyworker
• Links for clients or their family to other service providers and community supports
• Care that responds to the needs of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, using interpreters when appropriate 

Inclusion Criteria

• Must have a history of cognitive/memory and thinking change
• Live in the Cities of Boroondara, Yarra or Darebin
• Medically stable (check if any recent illnesses or hospital admissions)
• Clients must be agreeable and able to attend the clinic
• People of any age can be referred but it is typically for the assessment of memory and thinking changes associated with ageing

Exclusion Criteria

• Referrers wanting single service only, e.g. neuropsych only, including for the determination of competence or cognitive strategies
• Referrers wanting a baseline to monitor for possible change in the future.
• Recent onset of cognitive decline (last few days/ weeks). This requires urgent medical assessment - refer to GP/ Emergency Department.
• Persons with longstanding ABI/ Intellectual impairment with no change/ decline in cognition
• Clients with established disease – i.e. with an existing diagnosis of dementia including review of past CDAMS clients.
• CDAMS is not a prescribing service only for referrers only wanting Aricept / Reminyl / Exelon

GP Referrals: 

• In addition to full demographic information, medications and past history, GP referrals should include the reason for referral inclding secerity, duration of symptoms and past treatments tried.
• HIP Central Referrals Fax: (03) 9231 2202
• Enquiries Tel: (03) 9231 8577

CDAMS is based at St George’s Health Service in Kew, which is part of St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne. It is serviced by both trams and buses on Cotham Road. 

The address is: 

St George’s Health Service
283 Cotham Road, Kew, 3101 
(Melways ref: Map 45 H6)

Limited disabled parking is available at the front of the hospital (enter via Cotham road) and further parking is available at the rear of the hospital for a fee (enter off Normanby Street). 

For more information about St George's Health Service, visit the Campus Information page.

• Thursday mornings

•    Dementia Australia
•    My Aged Care