Dementia is rapidly emerging as one of the most pressing health challenges of our time, yet it remains one of the most misunderstood.

One in 12 people over 65 are living with dementia. Dementia is not a specific disease, but is a general term for the impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions that interfere with doing everyday activities. It’s actually no longer called dementia, but Major Neurocognitive Disorder (MND).

When it comes to Alzheimer’s disease, an early diagnosis – one made well before signs of irreversible dementia are apparent – is key to providing effective intervention and treatment.

Every day there are family and friends who provide care to others in their life. National Carers Week, 10–16 October, aims to recognise those 2.65 million carers in Australia who support those family and friends who have a disability, mental health condition, chronic condition, terminal illness, an alcohol or other drug issue or who are frail aged and need support.

Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and Dementia Australia is calling for all Australians to make themselves aware of the different forms elder abuse can take and to be alert to vulnerable Australians, including people who live with dementia. 

In a moving address to the National Press Club in Canberra yesterday, Dementia Australia Chair Professor Graham Samuel AC shared his personal experience of dementia – the anguish, bewilderment, frustration and torment experienced by his mother as she descended into the abyss of the disease.

Many aged care facilities have stopped residents leaving the premises. Many have reduced visits to one person per day, for one hour a day, and many have closed their doors entirely to outside visitors, including family, and this is causing distress for many aged folk.

We often think of dementia as a loss of memory that happens to old people but in fact there are many people who are affected by early onset dementia as early as their 40s.

Who said the silent disco was only for the youth of today? The same concept is now being used as a form of physical and mental therapy in aged care and recently a Northern Rivers trial measured the impact of this on dementia patients.