Special teams to help dementia sufferers

Dementia sufferers in aged care homes will get support from mobile clinicians as part of a new government program.

More than $54 million will be spent over four years to fund the "response teams", who will advise aged care providers on how best to care for residents with severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.

The program, to be launched later this year, replaces a popular special payment for dementia sufferers the Abbott government scrapped last year.

A major cost-blowout was blamed for the decision to cut the $16-a-day dementia and severe behaviours supplement, which one aged care provider labelled a "dreadful attack" on vulnerable seniors.

The new program comes after a round of consultation with industry.