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David Speers, Maree McCabe, Ita Buttrose,
Phil Hazell with his therapy dog Sara, Maggie Beer
and Shaynna Blaze at the launch of Dementia Action
Week at the Sydney Opera House. Photo: Adam Yip
‘Dementia doesn’t discriminate, do you?’
Dementia Australia’s Action Week launch.
By Conor Burke
D
ementia Australia launched its Action Week recently and
wants the nation to focus on the discrimination of people
with dementia.
‘Dementia doesn’t discriminate, do you?’ is the official theme
this year, CEO Maree McCabe told a crowd at the Sydney Opera
House launch.
A panel of high-profile dementia advocates gathered to talk
about what constitutes discrimination and how it can be tackled.
One panellist, ABC chair Ita Buttrose, believes that as a nation
we need a massive wake-up call and need to be better educated
when it comes to dementia, as seven in 10 families will be affected
by the disease at some point.
“Our messages have to be blunter,” she told SKY News political
editor David Speers, who facilitated the panel. Shocking the
nation out of its apathy was the aim, she said, and she recalled the
Grim Reaper TV advertisements of the 1980s as an example of a
successful health education campaign.
The panel also included Maggie Beer, interior designer Shaynna
Blaze and dementia advocate Phil Hazell.
Hazell – who himself has dementia and appeared with his
service dog Sarah – said that he comes across discrimination
“on a daily basis”. Discrimination can come from unlikely places,
he cautioned, and recalled the day he was diagnosed. Rather
than counsel him on his next steps and coping mechanisms,
his doctor told Hazell to get his “affairs in order” and “ just
dropped him”.
After moving suburbs, he struggled to be taken on by another
GP once they found out his diagnosis, the “time-reward” wasn’t
good Hazell told the crowd. He also struggles to get taxis, as
drivers won’t pick him up with his dog, even though the law
requires them to do so.
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agedcareinsite.com.au
Instances of discrimination can be energy-sapping,
Hazell said, and can exacerbate memory loss and make him
scared to leave the house for fear of being embarrassed.
“Structural discrimination” was a theme throughout the
discussion, such as the way public spaces are designed, or the
struggle those with dementia face when attempting to get travel
insurance. Blaze highlighted this when she described her struggle
to implement dementia-friendly design and her battles to change
“how things have always been done”.
Beer said the food in aged care is subject to similar struggles.
There are notable differences in the food served to those with
dementia in residential care compared to other residents, and
the lack of a specific accredited aged care cooking course also
hampers any attempts at change.
A number of videos featured dementia advocates speaking
of the way the general public interact with them. “Patronising”,
“ignored”, “scared” and “wary” were some of the words used.
Beer and Buttrose see dementia discrimination as a symptom
of ageism, and the panel agreed that we need to bring the
community together in fighting the problem.
“If you had dementia, how would you like to be treated?”
Buttrose asked. Simply, that is how she believes you should
approach those with dementia.
Discrimination is “total and utter ignorance”, she said.
Hazell, who was diagnosed five years ago at age 50, has retired
but has found purpose in getting up each day and advocating for
those with dementia. Without discrimination, “I wouldn’t have
many issues”, he said.
“A person living with dementia might be ignored or dismissed in
conversations,” McCabe said.
“Sometimes people – without realising it – will talk directly to
the carer as if the person living with dementia is not even there.
“Our focus during Dementia Action Week is to deepen the
inquiry into discrimination and dementia.” ■