System failing dementia patients
Hospital staff are often ignorant when it comes to looking after patients with dementia, media personality and Alzheimer’s Australia president, Ita Buttrose, said during a speech at an ALP National conference fringe event in Sydney last week.
Hospital staff are often ignorant when it comes to looking after patients with dementia, media personality and Alzheimer’s Australia president, Ita Buttrose, said during a speech at an ALP National conference fringe event in Sydney last week.
Claiming there was “no greater challenge” than dementia, Ms Buttrose, said “the current system was failing sufferers”, adding better training was needed to assist hospital and aged care staff.
Ninemsn reports Ms Buttrose as saying: “It seems in national politics, leadership and vision are thrown around like confetti.”
Searching for action in the 2012 Budget, Ms Buttrose said Alzheimer’s Australia urged the government to commit $500 million over five years at the 2012/13 Budget.
The funding was reportedly needed to improve the quality of health care and dementia support services, increase awareness and research and cut down on diagnosis delays.
Rates of dementia are expected to double in the next 20 years, with numbers hitting one million by 2050.
