news
Make
dementia
a priority
Bennett calls for a
national co-ordinated
effort to take on the
disease and support
patients and carers.
Carol Bennett
R
egardless of which party has
formed government for the next
chapter in Australian politics,
treatment for dementia must become a
major policy priority.
This is the call from Alzheimer’s Australia
chief executive Carol Bennett, speaking
following a new survey the group has
undertaken with Roy Morgan Research.
The survey aimed to find out what the
public thinks about dementia. It found 7
out of 10 Australians had been affected
by it in some way and 9 in 10 want
the government to tackle the growing
dementia problem.
Bennett said people with dementia and
their carers need to see effective dementia
policies from all sides of government to
address the condition.
“We need a co-ordinated strategy, a
national plan that addresses the issues
that arise from early symptoms, diagnosis,
care and support, treatments, home care
and respite, aged care and end-of-life
care, and to continue to support research
in the hope of one day finding a cure,”
Bennett said. “The challenge is big, but
as this new survey highlights, people
across Australia want to see real political
leadership on this issue.”
Alzheimer’s Australia is asking all political
parties to commit to funding $1.3 million to
make Australia a more dementia-friendly
place and $1 million a year to improve
quality of care in aged care.
The group would also like to see $15
million a year for dementia-specific respite
services, a call carer Kevin Dunn echoes.
Dunn works part-time and cares for
his wife Maree, who was diagnosed with
dementia in 2007. He said it’s important to
improve and increase respite services for
people with dementia, so their carers can
continue to lead as normal a life as possible.
He would also like to see a commitment
to more education and awareness. ■
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