Younger onset dementia summit 2013

A new horizon?

Summit outcomes

The outcomes from Day 1 of the summit are provided in the report, Younger Onset Dementia: A new horizon?

The report includes six priority areas for action:

1. Increased awareness to reduce stigma and to improve the opportunity for social participation by individuals in their local community.
2. Timely and accurate diagnosis with access to specialist services as needed.
3. Ensuring the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) places the person with younger onset dementia and their family at the centre and supports their choices and control over their future and the services and supports they require.
4. Action by service providers to redesign their services so they can respond flexibly to the goals, aspirations and plans of younger people with dementia.
5. Opportunities to participate in society with access to employment and adequate income security.
6. There must be a greater investment in research into causes, cure and care of younger onset dementia if there is to be a better understanding of the condition.

These priorities were further discussed on 20 March 2013 at Day 2 of the Younger Onset Dementia: A new horizon? summit, which was attended by 320 service providers, stakeholders and policy makers across the aged care, disability and mental health sectors.

Speakers at the summit included Ita Buttrose, people with younger onset dementia, their carers, service providers and researchers. Speeches and presentations can be accessed at the bottom of this page.

Dementia Australia would like to acknowledge the generous support of the Lord Mayors Charitable Foundation and Nich and Rosemary Rogers.

Further information

Click on the following links to access further information:

• Younger Onset Dementia: A new horizon? (PDF, 262 KB)
• Quality Dementia Care 4: Understanding Younger Onset Dementia (PDF, 448 KB)
• Media Release (PDF, 71 KB)

Dementia Australia's submissions on younger onset dementia

• Response to the National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012 (PDF, 213 KB)
• Response to the COAG Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (PDF, 108 KB)

Speeches and presentations

Speeches

• A new future for people with younger onset dementia?, Ms Ita Buttrose
• My story, Chontell Johnson
• A call to action, Kate Swaffer
• Services that will benefit carers of people with younger onset dementia, Tony Walsh
• Lack of proper assessment, Nigel Sarson
• Dementia not recognised as a disability, Glenda Parkin
• Quality services available to people with younger onset dementia, Edie Mayhew
• How can we make more services age appropriate?, Sandra Ruiz-Avila
• What would a dementia friendly society look like?, Hugh Grundy

Presentations

• Liz Cairns, Victorian State Manager, NDIS Launch Transition Agency
  Topic: National Disability Insurance Scheme
• Christian Bakker MSc, Program Manager, Florence Centre for Specialized Care in Young Onset Dementia and Healthcare Psychologist, Department of Primary Care and Community Care, Centre for Family Medicine, Geriatric Care and Public Health, Radboud University Nijmegen.
  Topic: Service provision in young-onset dementia: Towards an integrated approach
• Dr Adrienne Withall BSc (Hons), PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dementia Collaborative Research Centre
  Topic: Services for younger onset dementia – what can we learn from international models?
• Mandy Lovell BA, Grad.Dip. Psychology, MA (Criminology), The Lovell Foundation
  Topic: The Lovell Foundation: A consumer voice for residential care options
• Robyn Faine, General Manager, Services, Dementia Australia NSW
  Topic: Service system development strategies for addressing the needs of younger onsetdementia
• Associate Professor David Darby MBBS, PhD, FRACP, Neurologist, Eastern Cognitive Disorders Clinic
  Topic: Dementia syndrome in younger people
• Belinda Nixon, Younger Onset Dementia Program Officer, Dementia Australia Vic
  Topic: Dementia Australia Victoria younger onset dementia services
• Rosemary Mc Grann BA (Hons) /BSocSc SPAS, Team Leader, Central Bayside Community Health Services, and Lyn Entwistle BAppSc (OT), Client Assessment and Services Occupational Therapist, Aged Services, Central Bayside Community Health Service
  Topic: Give It A Go: An active program for people with younger onset dementia
• Angie Robinson, Executive Manager Service Development, UnitingCare Ageing Hunter, Central Coast & New England Region
  Topic: HOPE in the Hunter: Helping other possibilities emerge through partnerships