For detailed information on the campaign down load the Fight Dementia Campaign Action Plan here.
Why do we need a Fight Dementia Campaign?
There are almost 280,000 Australians living with dementia and the number of people with dementia is set to increase by almost 50 per cent over the next 10 years. By 2050 there will be almost one million Australian’s with dementia.
These numbers are alarming, yet the 2011 Federal Budget provided no additional funding to combat the dementia epidemic for the ever increasing number of people affected by dementia. Worse still, the Australian government terminated the Dementia Initiative – making dementia a national health priority which means the loss of guaranteed funding for essential programs and support services for people living with dementia.
Australia was the first country to recognise dementia as a health priority and now it is the first to renege.
We need to act now to tackle dementia in the 2012 Federal Budget.
Dementia must continue to be recognised as a national health priority and the Government must commit to delivering quality dementia care and to reduce the numbers of people with dementia in the future.
What can Australia do?
Alzheimer’s Australia Fight Dementia Campaign will seek Australian Government recognition of dementia as a health priority in the 2012 Federal Budget.
Alzheimer’s Australia’s Fight Dementia Campaign has identified that an additional $500 million over the next 5 years is required for the following action areas to combat dementia in Australia:
Action 1. Promote awareness and understanding of dementia
Action 2. Achieve timely diagnosis of dementia
Action 3. Provide quality dementia care in community, residential and acute care settings
Action 4. Make Australians aware they may be able to reduce their risk of dementia
Action 5. Invest in dementia research to reduce future numbers of people with dementia
What was the dementia initiative?
Changes in Government Policy
The Dementia Initiative – making Dementia a National Health Priority was implemented in the 2005 Budget with $320 million in funding over 5 years. At the end of 5 years both major parties supported continuing the Initiative.
The Initiative was a landmark for people living with dementia because it recognised the scale of the problem and its impact on the quality of life of Australians.
The main elements of the Initiative included:
- High care dementia community packages.
- Dementia Care Essentials Training at the Certificate level 3.
- Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Services (services that provide advice to those in the community and residential care staff).
- The National Dementia Support Program managed by Alzheimer’s Australia which provides information, counselling and support.
- Funding for the Dementia Collaborative Research Centres.
- Community support grants (grants of up to $50,000 to community groups).
- Funding initiatives such dementia research grants and consultancies on issues such as dementia pathways, primary care and a communications strategy.
Was the Initiative effective?
The Initiative has been independently evaluated and was found to have made a substantial contribution to support people living with dementia and their carers. The Initiative lifted the profile of dementia by making it a National Health Priority and developing a coordinated policy response. Australia was first in the world to make dementia a health priority and gave Australia a chance to be a leader in this field.
The Initiative has not been built upon in any significant way in the last four years and funding has not increased in line with the increasing numbers of people with dementia. Although the Initiative has led to much progress in support for individuals with dementia, it has not addressed important issues such as timely diagnosis of dementia, making hospitals safer places for people with dementia, dementia risk reduction or cutting edge research into the cause of dementia.
Worse still the Government terminated the Dementia Initiative in the 2011/12 Federal Budget.
What can I do to support the Campaign?
Find out how you can support the campaign by visiting Act Now.