Aged care failing dementia sufferers

Minister for Mental Health and Ageing Mark Butler today released a new Alzheimer’s Australia report on feedback received from older Australians, their families and carers through the national conversation on aged care reform.

More than 1,000 people attended 16 Alzheimer’s Australia consultations nationwide.

The Alzheimer’s Australia report makes for sober reading.

It is clear from the feedback received through the conversations that the issues that continue to beset the provision of care for people with dementia have not been given the prominence they deserve in the debate about the quality of aged care.

“Across all 16 consultations, the overwhelming view of older Australians is that the aged care system is simply not meeting the needs of dementia sufferers and their families,” Mr Butler said.

“For many older Australians ‘dementia specific care’ is matched by the reality of locked wards. Many families gave examples where the health of their loved ones suddenly declined after entering residential aged care.

“The level of care being provided to dementia sufferers was raised as a key concern by families and carers. The use of physical and chemical restraints including antipsychotics in some residential facilities can be distressing to families and carers…

“Families want to keep loved ones living with dementia at home for as long as possible but the current system does not provide adequate support and assistance to enable people to remain at home.

“Community care packages on offer are inadequate and inflexible. Long waiting times, lack of transparency in administration costs and artificial barriers in what services can and cannot provide often leave families feeling confused. The care available is clearly not meeting the needs of people with dementia.

“It is also clear from the consultations that older Australians and their families want staff appropriately trained in all aspects of dementia, and paid accordingly.

Dementia is the single biggest age-related disease facing Australians; its incidence is soaring with 1,600 new cases every week yet there is no cure.

Without a major research breakthrough, the prevalence of dementia will double over the next 20 years.

“As Australians, we enjoy one of the longest life expectancies in the world but we need to make sure that those extra years are years of quality,” Mr Butler said.

“Tackling dementia will be a key consideration in the Government’s assessment of the Productivity Commission report.”

(Source: Department of Mental Health & Aging)

More Information

For more information on brain health, including the anatomy of the brain, the effects of nutrition and exercise on the brain, and the effect of mental activity on health, see Brain Health.