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Urgent calls to end ‘neglect’ in aged care echoed by Dementia Australia

The Interim Report, ‘Neglect’, tabled today in federal parliament by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety has affirmed the key challenges people living with dementia, their families and carers have consistently flagged through their own experiences. Dementia Australia CEO Maree McCabe said for many years people impacted by dementia have contributed to reviews, reports, advisory panels and committees, and they have also made significant contributions to the work of the Commission to date.

Dementia recognised as a global heath priority by G20 leaders

Dementia Australia acknowledges the recent announcement made by G20 health ministers at the meeting in Okayama Japan, which singled out dementia as a common challenge for all G20 countries, and called for a recognition of dementia’s impact on the health, quality of life and economy of their nations. Maree McCabe, CEO Dementia Australia said she was pleased to see dementia recognised in the Okayama Declaration of the G20 Health Ministers.

Stop the cycle of transfers from home to hospital to care and back for people with dementia at end of life

Dementia Australia is calling on the Government of Victoria (in collaboration with the Commonwealth Government) to systematise and customise palliative and end of life care for people with dementia in a discussion paper released 30 October, at an event hosted by Parliamentary Friends of Dementia. Maree McCabe CEO Dementia Australia said in the end of life stage, people with dementia face frequent hospitalisations and may be given unnecessary procedures and treatment.

Training in dementia care for aged care workforce is recurrent theme

Dementia Australia is again joining broader calls for the government to implement national mandatory dementia education for the aged care workforce. Dementia Australia CEO, Maree McCabe said that ensuring the aged care workforce is trained with skills that respond to the needs of people living with dementia, their families and carers is of vital importance to the quality of care provided to the growing number of Australians living with dementia.

Dementia the leading cause of death of women, second of all Australians

Australians are more likely to die of dementia than almost any other disease – with the exception of heart disease. The release of new data confirms dementia remains the leading cause of death of women and the second leading cause of death of all Australians. According to the Causes of Death 2018 data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics today, cause of death by heart disease has decreased by 22.4 per cent since 2009 while dementia rates have increased by 68.6 per cent in the same period.

New report reveals two thirds of people think dementia is a normal part of ageing, rather than a medical condition

A new global survey of almost 70,000 respondents across 155 countries – including Australia – has revealed a startling lack of knowledge around dementia, with two thirds of people thinking the disease is a normal part of ageing. The survey, commissioned by Alzheimer’s Disease International, of which Dementia Australia is a member, also found that a staggering 95 per cent of respondents think they will develop dementia in their lifetime.