Dementia Australia congratulates former board members Ernest Thomas (Ern) Alchin OAM and Dr Sadhana Mahajani AM for their inclusion in the Australia Day Honours, receiving the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division, and Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia respectively.
The late Mr Alchin has been honoured for his significant service to the community through a range of organisations, including Alzheimer's Australia New South Wales, now Dementia Australia. Dr Mahajani has been recognised for her significant service to aged care and to community health, including serving as Board Member and Medical Advisor to Alzheimer's Australia Northern Territory, now Dementia Australia.
Dementia Australia CEO Maree McCabe AM acknowledged both Ernest and Sadhana for this well-deserved honour on behalf of all people impacted by dementia.
"I congratulate and thank Ernest and Sadhana for their dedication and contribution to supporting people living with dementia, their families and carers," Ms McCabe said.
"Ernest played a valued role as Founding Member and Chair of the Hunter Network of the Alzheimer's Associations NSW, and as board member of Alzheimer's Australia NSW, which he served on for several years."
From March 1998, as Founding Member and Chair of the Hunter Network of the Alzheimer's Associations NSW, Ernest was significantly involved in community engagement activities and assisted in growing the network's reach and impact across the Hunter region.
In leading the Hunter Network of the Alzheimer's Associations NSW, Ernest championed the fundraising for and the establishment, acquisition and refurbishment of the Hunter Resource Centre which was officially opened in April 2008 as the Hunter Dementia & Memory Resource Centre. His work in sourcing financial support and working with local business and state government was instrumental to the establishment of the centre.
Ernest was also a much-valued member of the Board of Alzheimer's Australia NSW from November 2001 until his retirement in November 2007.
"Sadhana has made significant contributions as a Board Member and Medical Advisor for Dementia Australia, which she served during 2012-2013," Ms McCabe said.
Sadhana developed the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) in the Northern Territory.
As the Northern Territory Department of Health's Community Geriatrician, she was involved in the assessment and diagnosis of people living with dementia across the Northern Territory for many years. She saw the importance of increasing awareness of dementia in culturally and linguistically diverse community members, working with Alzheimer's Australia NT and other stakeholders to improve health messaging in this area.
Sadhana was also involved in validating the KICA (Kimberley Indigenous Cognitive Assessment) tool which was a tool designed for use with rural and remote Indigenous Australians aged 45 years and above for who other dementia assessments are not suitable.
Dementia Australia is the source of trusted information, education and services for the estimated half a million Australians living with dementia, and the almost 1.6 million people involved in their care. We advocate for positive change and support vital research. We are here to support people impacted by dementia, and to enable them to live as well as possible. No matter how you are impacted by dementia or who you are, we are here for you.
