Dementia Action Week calls on Australians to reconnect and reduce isolation
Dementia Action Week urges Australians to reconnect and reduce isolation for people living with dementia and their carers. Nobody can do it alone.
![<p>Close-up of a support hands [Source ArtMarie, iStock]</p>](https://agedcareguide-assets.imgix.net/news/articles/wp/iStock-2166296479.jpg?fm=pjpg&format=auto&w=550&q=65)
Close-up of a support hands [Source ArtMarie, iStock]
This Dementia Action Week (15–21 September), Dementia Australia is urging Australians to reconnect with someone impacted by dementia to help combat the shockingly high levels of social isolation many people experience.
More than half of carers say they feel isolated, often because friends and family don’t understand how important their support can be. Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan said this year’s theme, “Nobody can do it alone”, highlights how much difference friends, families and communities can make.
“People affected by dementia often tell us that friends and family drift away after a diagnosis, because they are unsure of how to interact,” Professor Buchanan said. “This leads to social isolation, loneliness and a sense of abandonment, especially for carers who are emotionally stretched and often feel alone.”
Research shows that four in 10 people living with dementia notice friends stop keeping in touch following diagnosis. With 433,300 Australians currently living with dementia — including 29,000 under the age of 65 — and 1.7 million people involved in their care, the message is clear: connection matters more than ever.
Dementia Australia Advocate Lil Mirtl, who lives with dementia, said ongoing support and awareness are vital.
“None of us can do this on our own, even if we’d love to be able to do so,” she said. “We have to pull together as a community to do this. We can’t do it alone as individuals, the government can’t do it alone, we need to all act together.”
The latest data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows dementia is now the leading cause of death in Australia, with numbers expected to exceed one million people living with the condition by 2065.
Dementia Australia has developed simple, practical resources to help people reconnect — whether that’s picking up the phone, dropping by for a visit, or helping with everyday tasks.
To learn more and access resources, visit the Dementia Action Week website.
