July 2022: Update from the Dementia Australia Advisory Committee (DAAC)

Hello Everyone,

I do hope you are managing to avoid all the horrible lurgies out there and are keeping reasonably well.

I can’t speak for all of you, but there seems to be plenty going on for many Dementia Australia’s Advocates. I do hope that you are all enjoying the wonderful work that you are doing and finding it stimulating.

Since our face-to-face meeting in April, the focus of DAAC has been to bring together all the information and ideas that were raised (of which there were many, I can assure you).

Members are participating in a skills gap analysis to help to inform the Committee recruitment strategy. This, in turn, can only strengthen the Committee and its work in projecting the voices of people living with dementia around Australia.

In preparation for Dementia Action Week 2022, DAAC members are having monthly drop-in meetings with Dementia Australia staff from the campaign planning team leading up to the big week in September. At the June meeting the committee provided feedback on 7 tips for communities and on the campaign website.

The committee has also provided input into the development of a Dementia Australia Inclusive Communication Framework; including the underlying principles of such a framework and what should be included, and

met with Sally Ross from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to provide feedback on the documents for their new Consumer and Families Panel, to ensure they are accessible to people living with dementia.   

You may be aware that DAAC has a regular column in the Australian Journal of Dementia Care titled ‘Ask the experts living with dementia’. In the latest issue DAAC answered ‘how do you communicate well with a person living with dementia?'. 

In the meantime, the committee is working on an ongoing video project. The aim is to develop a series of videos that will show who DAAC members are, the role of the committee and share key learnings and knowledge to a wider network.

As always, should you wish to raise any matters with the DAAC, we would love to hear from you. You can contact us at DAAC@dementia.org.au.

Thank you for all the work you do around Australia. Stay safe.

Bobby Redman

Chair – Dementia Australia Advisory Committee (DAAC)

Find more information about the Dementia Australia Advisory Committee.

Photo: (L-R), Jenni Lawson, DAAC Member, Val Schache, DAAC Member,  Juanita Hughes, DAAC Member, Kevyn Morris, DAAC Member,   Dennis Frost, Vice Chair, DAAC, Ann Pietsch, DAAC Member,  Bobby Redman, Chair, DAAC, Sarah Ashton, DAAC Member, Natalie Ive, DAAC Member