Alzheimer’s New Zealand Awareness Week
New Zealand kicked off its annual Alzheimer’s Awareness Week: Faces of Dementia yesterday (Monday, 9 May 2011).
Alzheimer’s New Zealand’s aim is to promote awareness and raise funds to make life better for all people affected by dementia.
A major part of this drive is increasing the public’s understanding of the disease so that communities may better comprehend the impact of dementia and how that impact can be minimised.
In 2008, a report was commissioned by Alzheimer’s New Zealand to look closely at the social and economic impacts of the disease.
The report estimated that at the time, more than 40,746 people had the disease, and the number has risen to more than 43,000 this year.
In other New Zealand aged care news, the Green Party co-leader, Dr Russel Norman, said at its annual general meeting yesterday that the aged care sector is “fast reaching crisis point” and that “comprehensive changes are needed”.
“We want to look after all New Zealanders, and currently the system isn’t doing enough for our oldest and most vulnerable citizens,” Dr Norman said.
“Our investigation found that problems in the sector are chronic and widespread,” he said.
“With no regulations around minimum staffing levels or training, the care provided to older New Zealanders is inconsistent, and often inadequate.”
Dementia is the fourth leading cause of death in New Zealand, with 43,000 Kiwis living with the condition.
It is predicted that this number will double by 2026 due to New Zealand’s ageing population.
