Federal Budget 2019 largely forgets those dealing with dementia

Maree McCabe, Dementia Australia CEO said the initiatives in the 2019 Federal Budget are a good start but they do not speak to the heart of the problem for people living with dementia, their families and carers – the need for recognition of dementia within the health, ageing and disability industry.  

Dementia Australia’s Strategic Direction, Designing a New Future, released in October 2018, showed that the issues important to people impacted by dementia are timely diagnosis and support, the need for quality dementia care and tackling discrimination,” Ms McCabe said.

“With 447,000 Australians living with dementia, 1.5 million people involved in the care of someone living with dementia and the prevalence projected to increase to 1.1 million people by 2058, the impact of dementia cannot be ignored.

“Dementia is the chronic health condition of the 21st century.

“Dementia needs to be core business for everyone and there is still a lot more to do in health, disability and ageing.

“A comprehensive and coordinated action plan is required to specifically address the complex needs of people living with dementia and, their families and carers, 70 per cent of whom live in the community.

“This figure particularly highlights the urgent need to respond to the growing waiting list for Home Care Packages.

“Dementia is the second leading cause of death of Australians and the leading cause of death of Australian women.

“I urge all parties in the 2019 Federal election campaign to pledge to include significant investment in dementia care.

“I look forward to discussions with all political leaders on how they will commit to making a difference to the lives of all people impacted.”

12 comments

I understand the 2 million people overlooked in the budget are the 447,000 dimentia patients and the 1.5 million who care for them?? 

Yes..this is very disappointing considering the rise in dementia patients in this country.

I would also like to see the government address the problem of people with dementia owning firearms...or living with children who have guns.

Trouble is Sophie, people with dementia forget where they've hidden the gunz, then the kiddlies find them :(

I would have thought that Labor’s plan to increase the number of TAFE places for students enrolled in priority courses such as aged care (cert III and IV) as well as increased places for university students enrolled in priority courses is a good start.  The Royal Commission evidence shows that poorly trained staff do not provide good care. The tax benefits (salary) for low income workers may encourage more qualified high caliber people to continue employment in Aged Care rather than seek more lucrative work. My daughter a uni student earned more cleaning wealthy people’s houses than she did working as a qualified carer in dementia units and in people’s homes. She loved working in the dementia units but she left cause she couldn’t pay her rent. 

A high proportion of people with cancer are elders and some will have dementia! They will benefit from improved care and treatments.  Elders are even less likely to afford to pay the costs of tests and drugs they need to manage their disease. Palliative  care must be offered to all who require it irrespective of their age, cognitive abilities and residence. 

I'ld like to see more cognitive testing by doctors when they check on their patients health. I would also like to see where all the previous funding has been spent?

 

What is causing so much dementia is the question surely.

 

Some years back on an American Health forum I was told that many of us as we age get a deficiency of B12. 

Now I asked my doctor and he tested it and found I was deficient so take a B12 low mcg daily pill made by Thompsons of Australia. 

And also on another American forum later I saw that deficiency can also cause mental confusion and went onto say can also lead to Dementia. 

Never hear of it being tested or spoken of do we unless by someone already taking it and asking doctor to test it on next blood test etc like I did. 

Also if anyone has had pernicious anemia they will need to take B12 daily as it will be deficient as cant absorb it so need to supplement.  Injections available but pill less painful and works plus saves visits to doc and back pocket. 

But I also wonder every time dementia on the increase mentioned now, is it low B12 also a cause of this scurge? 

After all if a deciciency leads to mental confusion and loss of memory too then surely it could also mean that dementia possibly follows on as it worsens? 

I did ask my GP but didnt get anywhere - phone rang as often happens and so left it.

But as somone else said on discussing, GPs need a full waiting room. 

Bit cynical but not going to disagree ..............

"What is causing so much dementia is the question surely."

Is it because we live longer and the chances of getting demetia become that much higher?

A recent review of dementia studies since 1980 suggests dementia patients are surviving longer and longer, causing the population affected to rise.

Just a thought. Would welcome any further evidence as to the reasons why.

My Mother had pernicious anemia and I gave her injections of Vit B12 --( Cyanocobalamin)   every month from when she was 49 -50 to when she died at the age of 70  -- 

"What is causing so much dementia is the question surely."

Yep, good question. It's probably sitting all day on the computer and writing crap. Not you Irish Lassie, us Irish have to stick together.

As much as I hate to admit it, the hairy mutt has a point. If you look at the countries with a high percetage of dementia, they are places like Norway and the Scandies who have strong social attitudes. 

I''d like to see mental assessments of anyone over the age of 70.

Vit B12 is found in Animal products -- beef/fish etc -- but of late and for some time now these have and are  -- farmed -- and fed all sorts of unnatural foods and supplements -- and so the losses they have been passed on to all of us -- nothing we eat these days is grown natural any more

In a perfect world, everyone would get every service s/he needed. 

However the mass immigration Australia has had for decades as the majors artificially 'balance' their Budgets with the Ponzie growth that mass immigration delivers, has put impossible strain on available infrastructure and on the Australian public who have to pay for it through user pays and more taxes (cue Mr Shorten for another raid on your wallet!).

Those successive waves of migrants and their family members age too.  Australians achieved zero population growth way back in the Seventies at the urgent behest of academics and other experts on population and sustainability.  But the politicians, who apparently only pay lip service to democracy, do what they want and shrug their shoulders and demand more from taxes when the chickens come home to roost as they inevitably do.

the government is too busy looking after the fat cats and big business who pay too little taxes to hve the money to fund these costs for those who do not count for it.  the prime crocodile cried croc tears recently about disability and a new royal commission so that he did not have to make decisions he was paid to take.  

a government which abuses its citizens and robs them of dignity without allowing the opportunity to obtain real jobs because they are none is worse than uncle scrooge, uriah heep, or shylock seeking his pound of flesh.

the prime corcodile shed tears recently and throws up royal commissions so that his party does not need to make any decisions while they are paid big bucks for jobs they would not be fit for in any sector.  they are the real dole bludgers.

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