Prue Mellor

RN, MNg (Geront), MNg (NPrac), MACN

Clinical Nurse Specialist Gerontic /Dementia

Prue’s interest in dementia and delirium began when she was seconded from one of Melbourne’s first community health centres to what would become Victoria’s first psychogeriatric team. This role focused on contemporary practices in client assessment and the education of healthcare professionals across all health settings in Victoria. After completing a consulting contract in the Netherlands, Prue returned to Australia and established Age Concern Pty Ltd in 1986.

Age Concern was one of the first private companies in Australia to offer continuing professional development education for nurses, allied health professionals, and other healthcare workers as a means of enhancing the quality of care for the elderly both in the community, hospitals and residential care..

In 2005, Age Concern Pty Ltd was gazetted as an Educational Institution. It pioneered Australia’s first standalone Postgraduate Dementia program for registered nurses, which was initially accepted as an elective at La Trobe University in 1996. The program was later recognised at master’s level by the University of Queensland for nurses entering the Nurse Practitioner program.

Her extensive experience in aged care and Indigenous health led Prue to being called as a witness for the House of Representatives Inquiry into Indigenous Health. She was also selected as an aged care advisor for a delegation to Brunei, led by former Senator Bill O’Chee.

Among her contributions, Prue initiated Harmony in the Bush, a groundbreaking research project aimed at reducing the behavioural symptoms of dementia through non-pharmacological interventions. Funded by the Commonwealth, the project successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of these approaches. As Chief Investigator – Clinical, Prue oversaw participant selection, assessments, the development and implementation of personalised interventions, care plan modifications, and staff training—ensuring the project met its objectives.

Prue continues to provide professional development programs aimed at minimising and or managing the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia with a focus on non-pharmacological interventions.