This week 19 – 25 September 2022 is Dementia Action Week. According to Dementia Australia, Dementia impacts close to half a million Australians and almost 1.6 million Australians are involved in their care. That means that nearly 9.5% of Australia’s population are currently impacted by Dementia in some way.

And this number is increasing as the number of people living with dementia is predicted to double in the next 25 years. With the rather alarming number of predicted cases, Dementia Australia wanted to clear up some of the existing misconceptions about dementia and therefore developed the concept of Dementia Action Week.

People living with dementia can live active and fulfilling lives many years after diagnosis. Despite this, they often experience discrimination.

What is Dementia?

Dementia is a chronic, worsening change in a person’s overall mental ability. Dementia is not a single disease but a series of symptoms that affect memory, thinking, behaviour, and a person’s ability to complete everyday activities. Of the more than 100 different types or causes of Dementia, Alzheimer’s is the most common.  Symptoms of dementia, or cognitive change can also be the results of other conditions such as stroke, infections, alcohol overuse, nutritional deficiencies, and brain tumours.

Dementia and Ageing

As adults age they may have trouble with memory. However, memory loss alone, does not indicate that a person is living with dementia. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, at least two of the following core mental functions must be significantly impacted to be considered dementia:

• Memory
• Communication and language
• Ability to focus and pay attention
• Reasoning and judgement
• Visual perception

The Five Most Common Causes of Dementia:

• Alzheimer’s disease (60 – 70 % of dementia cases).
• Vascular dementia (a blood circulation disorder estimated in 20% of dementia cases).
• Parkinson’s disease – a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement.
• Huntington’s disease – an inherited disorder that breaks down brain nerve cells; and
• Traumatic brain injuries – brain malfunction caused by car accident, serious fall, concussion etc.  

How Do You Diagnose Dementia?

It is difficult to diagnose dementia, as there is no definitive test, but your family physician should be able to do some tests and with input from the family can help determine the severity of change in a person’s mental abilities.

Ten Signs and Symptoms of Dementia are:

• Repetitive questioning and storytelling.
• Odd or inappropriate behaviours.
• Forgetfulness of recent events.
• Repeated falls or loss of balance.
• Personality changes.
• Decline in planning and organisation.
• Changes in diet/eating habits.
• Changes in hygiene.
• Increased apathy.
• Changes in language ability including comprehension.

Right at Home’s unique approach to Dementia Care and cognitive support is built on the belief that every person living with dementia or cognitive change has abilities to interact with their surroundings and to connect in new ways with their loved ones. To find out more download our Dementia Guide from the resources section of our website.

The Dementia Action Week ‘A little support makes a big difference’ campaign demonstrates that many people living with dementia can continue to live well for many years after their diagnosis.

The campaign provides information and tips to encourage all Australians to increase their understanding of dementia and learn how they can make a difference to the lives of people around them who are impacted – and to help eliminate discrimination. These include simple and practical tips to:

• Give a little support to a person living with dementia.
• Give a little support to a carer, friend or family member of a person living with dementia.
• Help healthcare professionals make their practice more dementia-friendly.

To find out how you can make a difference visit the campaign site by clicking the link https://www.dementia.org.au/dementia-action-week

If you or someone you love, needs support to maintain their independence and continue living at home think about organising in-home care. To learn more about Right at Home, home care services, contact us today.

Keep up to date with COVID 19 information on the following links: 

Australian Government Department of Health 

Victorian Health and Human Services 

NSW Health 

Queensland Health 

ACT Health 

WA Department of Health 

Tasmanian Department of Health 

Northern Territory Department of Health 

SA Health 

Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home companionship and personal care, and assistance to seniors (elderly and aged care), and any adult who needs our care at home including adults living with a disability who want to continue to live independently or age in their home. Right at Home is your local expert for issues related to caring for your loved ones and is dedicated to keeping you informed about home care. With no admin or subscription fees Right at Home allows you to get more care from your package or budget. 

Right at Home is a 'My Aged Care' government approved, home care provider for levels 1 – 4 and offers flexible in-home care services such as nursing care, after hospital care, post-operative care, respite care, dementia and Alzheimer's care. Right at Home also offers assistance with daily living and personal care such as grooming, hygiene, transport, shopping, meal prep, domestic services and social support, so your loved one can enjoy a more independent, vibrant life. Our nurses and caregivers are screened, highly trained, and insured prior to entering your home so you can trust us with the caregiving while you focus on your loved one. 

To find out more, please give us a call on 1300 363 802 or visit our website. 

Right at Home Offices in Australia: Adelaide Central; Brisbane Bayside; Brisbane North; Brisbane South; Brisbane West; Central Queensland & Wide Bay; Darling Downs; Far North Queensland; Gold Coast North; Gold Coast South; Greater Logan; Mackay; Moreton Bay Region; Noosa, Gympie & Hinterland; Sunshine Coast; Townsville; Central West New South Wales; Gosford; Hunter & Port Stephens; Macarthur Penrith; Newcastle; Northern Rivers; Padstow St George; Southern NSW; Sydney Central & Eastern Suburbs; Sydney Inner West; Sydney Liverpool; Sydney Lower North Shore; Sydney Norwest; Sydney Northern Beaches; Sydney Parramatta; Sydney Ryde; Sydney The Hills; Sydney Upper North Shore; Kalgoorlie Wheatbelt; Perth Como; Perth Midland; Perth Northern Suburbs; Perth West Coast; Southwest Victoria