Recent News
Shining Brightly: a child’s eye view of dementia
Source: Australian Ageing Agenda 11 October 2012
A Perth aged care worker has channelled her observations of the impact of dementia on families into a children’s picture book.
Shining Brightly, which was launched by WA Mental Health Minister, Helen Morton, at a function to mark Dementia Awareness Week in late September, relates the devastating progression of Alzheimer’s disease in an elderly woman through the eyes of her young grandaughter.… Read more
Massive Increase only seven years away
Source: Australian Ageing Agenda September 27 2012
In just over seven years, the number of Australians living with dementia will be 30 per cent greater than they are today, according to new projections released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
The institute’s vision of the near future indicates that almost 400,000 Australians will be living with the terminal illness in 2020 – a third more than last year’s calculation of 298,000.… Read more
Safe Sex Campaign for Seniors
Source: Australian Ageing Agenda 27 September 2012
Australia’s first-ever safe sex awareness campaign, specifically for older Australians, has been launched by Family Planning NSW with the help of the online dating site, RSVP, in a bid to tackle the rising rates of Sexually Transmitted Illnesses (STIs) in the nation’s older age groups.
The Little Black Dress Campaign aims to educate Australians about the risks of having sex without using a condom, equip them with the information they need to practice safe sex and encourage STI testing when unprotected sex does happen.… Read more
Working on our workforce issues
Source: Australian Ageing Agenda 25 September 2012
More than $10 million of federal government money will go towards funding 26 aged care projects designed to enable a challenged sector-wide workforce to better cope with the pressures of an ageing population.
The projects, funded through the Health Workforce Australia Aged Care Workforce Reform package, will focus on improving the integration of the aged care workforce with mainstream community services like GPs, pharmacists and allied health professionals.… Read more
Are you OK?
Source: Australian Ageing Agenda – 26 September 2012
Aged care staff should all be aware of what they can do to support a depressed or socially isolated older person who might be contemplating suicide, an expert said.
According to psychologist and deputy chair of the Suicide Prevention Australia board, Caroline Aebersold, older men in the 75 and above category are considered a high suicide risk group.… Read more
Support to stop financial abuse
Source: Agedcare Insite 24 September 2012
As the population gets older, there is a call to safeguard the ageing from financial abuse.
To create awareness, researchers from the University of Queensland have developed a program of research that they hope will enhance knowledge and understanding of substitute and assisted decision making in the general community and among service providers and practitioners.… Read more
Dementia Awareness Week highlights exercise
Source: Aged Care Insite – 24 September 2012
A new campaign set to help cut soaring rates of dementia will be launched this week, as part of Dementia Awareness Week 2012.
Your Brain Matters, Alzheimer’s Australia’s new public brain health program, is an all-ages guide to keeping the brain healthy by looking at the mind, body and heart.… Read more
1/4 are ashamed of dementia
Source: Australian Ageing Agenda – 20 September 2012
One in every four people living with dementia around the world shamefully denies having the disease because of the social stigma attached to the condition, according to a new international report released on World Alzheimer’s Day today.
The World Alzheimer’s Report, issued by Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI), claims that one in 10 carers hide the diagnosis of the person living with the disease from others for fear of being victimised.… Read more
Your brain health matters
Source: Australian Ageing Agenda – 20 September 2012
Australia has sprung to the top of the international dementia prevention charts, having just launched the world’s first ever public-funded brain health program designed to cut increasing rates of dementia.
Australia’s peak advocacy group for people with dementia and their families, Alzheimer’s Australia, officially began to roll out its new Your Brain Matters program earlier this week, hailing it as the first of its kind to be funded through a federal government public health, not ageing, income stream.… Read more
Aged care hits the target
Source: Australian Ageing Agenda – 20 September 2012
The Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) has come very close to meeting a target set in 2007 for the number of Australians requiring aged care, according to the latest figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare(AIHW).
In 2007 the Department decided to gradually increase the number of residential care beds and home care packages over the following five years, to provide aged care for 113 of every 1000 Australians aged over 70, by 30 June 2011.… Read more
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