With Australians heading to the polls in a matter of weeks, Dementia Australia is issuing a stark warning: Australians impacted by dementia cannot wait.
With dementia set to soon become the nation’s leading cause of death, Dementia Australia is urgently calling on all parties, independents, and candidates to commit to immediate action.
Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan said there are an estimated 433,300 Australians living with dementia and 29,000 people living with younger onset dementia. Two-thirds of Australians with dementia live in our community, and around 1.7 million people are involved in their care. Dementia is a progressive brain condition, and there is currently no cure.
“Dementia cannot be ignored during this election. The situation is already critical with our hospitals, acute care, and aged care systems all unable to meet demand,” Professor Buchanan said. “Two in three people living with dementia live in the community and there are long waits to receive home care packages.
“Without a significant intervention, the number of Australians who will be living with dementia is set to double in the next 30 years. We simply cannot afford to wait.”
Dementia affects Australians of all ages and is the public health, disability, and aged care challenge facing Australia. It must be a top priority for all political parties, independents, and candidates. Dementia Australia is calling for federal government commitments to:
- Launch a national conversation on dementia to raise awareness of the condition and promote brain health at all ages.
- Establish a team of dementia specialist care coordinators within Dementia Australia to deliver nationally consistent support and navigation to people living with dementia, their families, and carers.
- Build the capability of the workforce to provide care and support for people living with dementia.
“The first priority is especially pressing. We cannot change getting older, genetics, or family history; however, scientific research shows that looking after our brain health can make a big difference to reducing or delaying the risk of developing dementia,” Professor Buchanan said.
For support, please contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. More information is available at www.dementia.org.au.
