The year for dementia change
“Dementia is the iceberg that will cripple Australia’s health care system,” writes Alzheimer’s Australia chief executive, Glenn Rees, says. With 280,000 Australians living with dementia and 1,600 new cases arising each week, Mr Rees states “unbelievably, dementia is not recognised as a National Health Priority”.
“Dementia is the iceberg that will cripple Australia’s health care system,” writes Alzheimer’s Australia chief executive, Glenn Rees, says.
With 280,000 Australians living with dementia and 1,600 new cases arising each week, Mr Rees states “unbelievably, dementia is not recognised as a National Health Priority”.
“We need to know the Gillard government will act on aged care in the 2012 budget and the opposition will set out their position. The disease has been disowned by the health policymakers and referred to the aged care system for warehousing in residential care,” he adds.
Mr Rees writes in the Sydney Morning Herald: “Australians have one of the world’s longest life expectancies but health ministers now need to focus on how to ensure these extra years are years of quality. Addressing dementia must be the first step.”
He adds: “Australians cannot afford another budget that ignores dementia”, and without a comprehensive strategy, the social and economic impact of this “fatal disease” will be “unfathomable”.
“Many think [dementia] is just an unfortunate consequence of ageing. It is not. Dementia is a terminal illness that can strike at almost any age. In fact, damage to the brain begins decades before clinical symptoms of dementia appear.
“It is time to promote prevention measures to ensure that people are as aware of brain health as they are of the need for healthy hearts. We should promote warning signs so people are diagnosed and helped in a timely and humane manner. This year must be the year dementia is made a National Heath Priority.”
