Dementia Australia represents the 487,500 Australians living with dementia and the almost 1.6 million Australians involved in their ongoing care.
Over the years I have known many people who have been struck down with this disease – including my late father-in-law and several clients. I have learned that the early signs can often be exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, for a family member to detect – particularly as we have a tendency to link behavioural changes to ‘getting older’. For the sufferer, the early signs can be extremely frustrating – particularly as they become aware of their increasing forgetfulness or discover that they no longer know how to use an everyday appliance – such as a kettle. Unfortunately, for many sufferers, there is often a time when the family home is no longer a safe environment.
Our contribution provides some of the funding that is needed to not only find a cure, but to better understand the causes of dementia and to develop strategies to reduce dementia risk and slow the progression of the disease. It also helps to improve treatment and care options for those living with dementia.