Dementia Awareness Week – time to get serious

As part of Dementia Awareness Week it’s important to highlight the different needs of people living with dementia and how they might be prioritised in receiving government subsidies.

Supportive, familiar and enabling environments are a key part of effective dementia care. Dementia care is measured by how someone living with dementia responds to their environment and being in a supported environment at home can often mean a better quality of life. And some providers of dementia care do it better than others.

The Minister for Aged Care Ken Wyatt has responded to calls from the sector to reveal how many of the 108,000 people waiting on the National Queue for a Home Care Package were suffering from dementia. While Ken Wyatt was able to say that around 12% of those approved for a Home Care Package were living with dementia, this figure was only based on who had applied for a Dementia Cognition Supplement and did not specify what percentage of those waiting were living with dementia. The reality is that many people are unaware of the Dementia Cognition Supplement as are some providers of Home Care.

We all know someone who is living with dementia. Losing control over your mind is one of those deep-seated fears we all have. Not to know or to be known. Many people living with dementia find it distressing to move out of home.

Dementia care can start in the home. In fact, care in the home with proper supports can often mean the person suffering from dementia is more relaxed in familiar surroundings with familiar routines. The wait time for Home Care Packages is impacting the quality of living for people with dementia. With over 12 months to wait for Home Care many carers are simply not coping.

If your looking for specialist dementia care either in your own home or in an Aged Care Home speak to CareAbout and we can match you with a provider who meets your needs and your budget.