Health pioneer tributes

DOCTOR, researcher, visionary and pioneer are among the words being used to describe the late Dr John Tooth OAM.

Dr Tooth, the founder of Adards Nursing Home, led the charge to revolutionise dementia care in Tasmania and abroad.

His research and the institution he founded and developed was internationally renowned.

Since his passing on January 7, messages of sympathy, respect and adoration have been expressed by friends, family and former colleagues.

He will be remembered by his family as a loved and loving husband, father and grandfather — and will be remembered by the broader community as the inspiring, Australian of the Year (2007) and dementia care pioneer behind Adards Nursing Home.

Dr Tooth opened Adards in Warrane in 1991 as a home for dementia sufferers whose problem behaviour could not be managed by other facilities.

His concept for the home was to manage dementia patients without heavy medication, but instead with care, humanity and by recreating homelike surroundings.

Board member of fund raising organisation Friends of Adards and longtime friend of Dr Tooth, Beryl Bates, said he was a caring man who understood the needs of people with dementia.

“He was understanding and he dedicated so much to the care of people,” she said.

“He really looked to see what they needed and how you treated people.”

Adards and Dr Tooth’s work in the field of dementia became internationally renowned.

Dementia professionals in Japan sought advice from Mr Tooth after they banned the use of physical restraints in dementia units in 2001.

He lectured in Japan, Canada, the US and Britain and taught Japanese professionals who came to Tasmania to learn his methods.