Dementia Action Week (18-24 September 2023) is a national awareness-raising campaign that challenges common misconceptions about dementia.
Dementia impacts almost half a million Australians and with Australia's ageing population, this number is estimated to more than double over the next four decades.
It is now the leading cause of disease burden for Australians aged 65 years and older. While ageing is the biggest risk factor for dementia, it is not a normal part of ageing.
The theme 'Act Now for a Dementia-Friendly Future', emphasises the importance of building awareness and acceptance of dementia in the community. Communities that take action to become dementia-friendly have:
- less fear and a greater understanding of dementia
- less stigma and discrimination
- more support and better systems for people living with dementia to live well in their community for longer.
To get involved in Dementia Action Week, you can:
- host a morning tea or other event
- encourage your friends, family and co-workers to become Dementia Friends
- meet with Dementia Advocates or your local Dementia Alliance.
What we're doing about dementia
National Dementia Action Plan
We are working with state and territory governments to develop a 10-year joint National Dementia Action Plan. This will put all people living with dementia, their families, and carers at the centre of all action on dementia.
To develop the action plan, we sought national feedback on a consultation paper.
Today, we released a consultation outcomes report which summarises feedback on the key elements of the consultation paper. To learn more, see the National Dementia Action Plan webpage.
National Aged Care Design Principles and Guidelines
We have developed Draft National Aged Care Design Principles and Guidelines.
These evidence-based principles and guidelines will encourage accessible, dementia-friendly accommodation design.
We want to hear from older people, aged care providers and people involved in construction and refurbishment projects in residential aged care homes. This feedback will make sure the new Principles and Guidelines are fit-for-purpose before they are introduced on 1 July 2024.
To provide feedback, please complete this form by 20 October 2023.
Stocktake on the Design of Residential Aged Care Accommodation
We are also seeking input from aged care providers on the Stocktake on the Design of Residential Aged Care Accommodation. This is to understand what residential aged care accommodation looks like from a design perspective. The stocktake considers things like building age, size, layout and physical attributes and characteristics.
We will use this information to develop a picture of aged care homes, including where services are provided flexibly. It will also help us to understand the impact of the National Aged Care Design Principles and Guidelines (Design Principles and Guidelines) and the level of change and support that may be needed ahead of their introduction.
From 1 July 2024, the Design Principles and Guidelines will consider accessible and dementia-friendly design principles and the role of small-home models, while allowing for flexibility and innovation when designing accommodation solutions.
To provide feedback, please complete this form by 3 October 2023.
