Premium Essay

Impacts Of Dementia In Australia

Submitted By
Words 690
Pages 3
In response to the World Health Organization’s global strategy “Health for all by the year 2000”, the National Health Priority Areas (NHPA) were established in Australia. It was a collaboration between the Commonwealth and State and Territory governments, non-government organisations, health experts, clinicians and consumers. Its goal was to bring attention to areas that were considered to have a significant contribution to the burden of disease in Australia, and for which areas there were potential for health gain (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 1997).
In 2012 the federal and state health ministers finally succumbed to the demands of the sector and the needs of the thousands of Australians, and officially agreed to make dementia …show more content…
Skills commonly affected include memory, cognition and personality (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2016).
Dementia is usually progressive which means that the disease gradually spreads through the brain, and the person’s symptoms get worse over time. Due to presently there being no cure for most forms of dementia, it is vital that the population is made aware of the impacts of this disease.
Dementia presents a significant challenge to health and aged care in Australia, affecting almost 1 in 10 (8.8%) people aged 65 and over (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2016). Currently there are more than 413,106 Australians living with dementia and by 2025 the number of people with dementia is expected to increase to 536,164, and then over 1 million by 2056.
Worldwide there are more than 46.8 million people with dementia today and 131.5 million predicted by the year 2050 (Alzheimer's Disease International, 2015). According to Alzheimer’s Disease International, it is estimated that one new case of dementia is diagnosed ever 3.2 seconds, meaning 9.9 million new cases of dementia each year …show more content…
Carers ) can play a vital role in the lives of people with dementia. Carers may assist with personal care, transport, housework and other activities, as well as understanding unmet needs that can lead to behavioural problems. However, Caring for a person with dementia may be time consuming and demanding for the carer.
Carers should have access to support tailored to their needs in order to effectively respond to and manage the pressures associated with the physical, mental and emotional demands of their caring role. The provision of information and support services to carers may help to make the caring experience less stressful, and more rewarding.
One such organisation is Dementia Australia which advocates for the needs of people living with all types of dementia, and for their families and carers, and provide support services, education and information.
Dementia Australia is funded by the Commonwealth and delivers services including the National Dementia Helpline, help sheets, a resourced website, counselling services, support groups as well as education and training for informal and formal carers.

Similar Documents

Free Essay

The Most Important Health Issue in Australia

...Most Important Health Issue In Australia 2013, Dementia. Dementia is a broad term that encompasses a large group of illnesses that cause a progressive cognitive functional decline including memory loss, loss of intellect, rationality, language skills, perception, social skills and physical function. Dementia exists in many different forms including Vascular Dementia, Frontotemporal Dementia, Dementia with Lewy Bodies & the most common form of Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease. (“Key Facts and Statistics,” 2013.) Dementia affects Australians of many ages and although Dementia is not considered a normal aspect of the aging process, approximately 92% of Australians diagnosed with Dementia are over the age of 65 years. ("Alzheimer’s disease is not a normal part of ageing,” 2012) It is estimated that there are currently over 321,600 Australians living with dementia and approximately 1,700 new cases of dementia diagnosed every week. I believe these incredible statistics combined with Australia’s rapidly aging population make Dementia Australia’s most important health issue in 2013. (“Key Facts and Statistics,” 2013.) The table below highlights the projected population growth & rapidly aging population facing Australia up to 2031. Table 1; [pic]“(Note: Reprinted from (Challenge 1, Community Services & Health Industry Skills Council,” n.d.) Australia’s rapidly aging population will see the number of Australians living with dementia increase by one third, to approximately...

Words: 1519 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Working with Carers

...describe the role of Carers in Australia. Carer is a friend, neighbour, relative who will look after other person (someone who has disability, frail and aged care people). Mother is a carer for her children, children are carers for their parents, support worker is a carer for someone with disability etc. Carer is also a qualified paid worker with an expertise in health care needs of people with illness, disability and frail aged (the correct name for these people is support worker and they are employed by organisations that provides services). People become carers for different reasons. No two caring situations are the same. Carers are from diversity and circumstances. There is no rules about who can become a carer nor about what a carer is expected to do. There is no rule for an appropriate age of the carer. Carers don't chose to become carers it just happens and they have to get on with it. The role of carer range from helping with domestic duties, shopping assistance, paying bills at Australia Post to more complex duties such as helping with personal care for client who is hoisted or assisting client with daily bowel care program. The variety of the job and associated responsibilities are wide, everyday is different. In summary, carers play a vital role in our community, and we- people should get to know more about them as well as show appreciation if possible as they really deserve it. 2. Identify available resources for Carers in Australia – Include a copy of the resource...

Words: 2916 - Pages: 12

Free Essay

Social, Cultural and Psychological Issues Related to the Ageing Population

...INTRODUCTION It is obvious that we are faced with an aging population. Within three decades individuals aged 65 years or older are expected to make up 23% of the Australian population (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013). This is a stable increase from 13% in 2007, emphasising Australia as an aging country (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2013). This is evident not only within the demographic regions of metropolitan and rural cities and towns of Australia but also among other countries in the world. It is with this discrepancy that presents such a large challenge within the population and from a health perspective. This essay will explore the social, cultural and psychological health related issues linked with growth in the aging population and will focus on the baby boomer generation and the co-morbidities that are notably prevalent in the elderly. This essay will also consider the future role of the nurse and how their profession will be impacted in response to these trends. WHY DO WE FACE AN AGING CRISIS? As fertility rates decline and longevity increases we are coming to face a shift in population distribution with a greater proportion of older adults (Anderson and Hussey, 2013). It is important to note that this increase is due particularly to the Baby Boomer generation growing older and associated aging co-morbidities on the rise. The Baby Boomer generation consists of those born from the years 1945-1964 (Berman et al., 2012). As this generation grows older...

Words: 2254 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Assessment of Cognitive Change in Older Adults

...Dementia is a set of disorders that include impaired thought and behaviour that disrupts a person’s everyday activities. It usually presents as a syndrome of chronic or progressive nature, with changes in memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, calculation, learning capacity, language and judgement. Dementia is the most significant neurological disorder experienced by persons aged over 65 years. As expected, there is ‘cognitive loss’ with increased age. The cognitive assessment of older adults should entail expectations of decline due to age, mental health and other possible causes of deteorioration. The implication of cognitive change presents an issue with early-onset dementia and cognitive testing. This poses some difficulty for psychologists conducting cognitive assessments, due to the absence of a baseline measure of their previous abilities for comparison. Even if the assessment was conducted with the view of early intervention, practice effects are likely to be apparent. Any expected variation is likely due to psychological change or familiarity but deciphering between the two may pose a problem. Despite increased public awareness of the impact of dementia on people's lives, it is not always easy to establish an early diagnosis of dementia. Early identification and correct diagnosis of dementia is important for several reasons, including; Correct diagnosis is essential to rule out other conditions, such as delirium and depression, which may have similar features...

Words: 452 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Ageing Population Critique

...Introduction This is a critique of “An Ageing Australia: Preparing for the Future, the Overview” (the Overview), published in November, 2013. It is an outline of, and included in, the full research paper (the Paper) produced by the Productivity Commission which is an independent research and advisory body of the Australian Government (Productivity Commission, Inquiry Report No. 84, 2017). The summary in this critique will outline the substance of the Overview followed by brief sequential discussions of its aims, intended audience, and the circumstances and reasoning surrounding its’ commissioning. Finally, a critical evaluation is made concerning the article’s contribution to our understanding of ageing populations and dementia care, and its’...

Words: 1402 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Unit 3 Health Notes

...NHPA | Summary | Why selected (all selected for similar reasons; finical impact on health care system) | Determinants as risk factors | Health promotion Program | CardiovascularHealth | Refers to maintaining healthy functioning of the heart and blood vessels. CVD encompasses all diseases and conditions of the heart and blood vessels (including coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease) caused mainly by blood supply to the heart, brain and legs. | -To improve cardiovascular health by reducing CVD.-CVD is leading cause of premature death and second leading cause of burden of disease.- CVD is also largely preventable and places a large economic burden on the health care system. | 1. biological: cholesterol levels, age, sex and genetics. high blood pressure-indicates that the heart is already working harder and under pressure, which can lead to stroke and kidney disease.Body weight- excess body weight places greater strain on heart and increases hypertension and cholesterol levels.2. Behavioural: physical activity, tobacco smoking poor nutrition-diets high in saturated fat such as cholesterol can contribute to overweight and obesity. Low intake of fruit and vegetables can contribute to increased snacking on high fat and high sugar foods, increasing obesity, which heightens risk of CVD.Physical enviro: air quality (tobacco smoke) Access to recreational facilities-if lacking access, they might not exercise as much as otherwise might. Heightens risk of CVD...

Words: 1720 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Rn to Bsn

...CLINICAL ISSUES Acute care management of older people with dementia: a qualitative perspective Wendy Moyle, Sally Borbasi, Marianne Wallis, Rachel Olorenshaw and Natalie Gracia Aim and objectives. This Australian study explored management for older people with dementia in an acute hospital setting. Background. As the population ages, increasing numbers of older people with dementia are placed into an acute care hospital to manage a condition other than dementia. These people require special care that takes into account the unique needs of confused older people. Current nursing and medical literature provides some direction in relation to best practice management; however, few studies have examined this management from the perspective of hospital staff. Design. A descriptive qualitative approach was used. Method. Data were collected using semi-structured audio-taped interviews with a cross section of thirteen staff that worked in acute medical or surgical wards in a large South East Queensland, Australia Hospital. Results. Analysis of data revealed five subthemes with the overarching theme being paradoxical care, in that an inconsistent approach to care emphasised safety at the expense of well-being and dignity. A risk management approach was used rather than one that incorporated injury prevention as one facet of an overall strategy. Conclusion. Using untrained staff to sit and observe people with dementia as a risk management strategy does not encourage an evidence-based approach...

Words: 6750 - Pages: 27

Premium Essay

Health Priorities in Australia

...likely to smoke: Indigenous Australians are more likely to take part in health risk behaviors such as smoking, which contributes to poorer health status. For example: Two out of 5 Indigenous Australians aged 15 and over (41%) were current daily smokers in 2012–13, which, after adjusting for age, was more than twice the rate of smoking among non-Indigenous Australians in 2011–12. • Lower rates of physical activity: Physical inactivity rates are significantly higher in the Indigenous population than in the non-Indigenous population. For example: About 3 in 5 Indigenous Australians aged 18 and over (62%) reported no or low-level physical activity, which was 10% higher than the rate among non-Indigenous Australians. Question 2. Australia is one of the healthiest countries in the world; however, Australia’s population still experiences a range of health problems. The challenge for the Australian government is to...

Words: 2692 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Neurodegeneration- Alzheimers

...Pathophysiology The brain is made up neurons that are interconnected to form a vase network. These connections known as synapses enable the transmission of information from one neuron to another. In Alzheimer’s disease, ten to fifteen years before the appearance of the symptoms, two main lesions form in the brain, which are senile plaque’s that are composed of Beta-Amyloid protein, and neurofibrillary tangle’s that are composed of Tau protein. On the surface of a neuron is a large protein called APP. Normally, APP is sectioned by enzymes on the surface of the neuron and it frees a protein called Amyloid-Beta. The amyloid-beta protein is then cleared in the body. In the case of Alzheimer’s disease there is an imbalance as the amyloid-beta protein is no longer regulated and is found in two greater quantities. The protein is assembled to form insoluble fibrils and create Senile Plaques. When a neuron communicates with another a signal goes from the body known as soma to the synapse to transfer the information. The signal passes through the skeleton of the neuron composed of microtubules. These microtubules are stabilized by normal towel protein. In Alzheimer’s disease, Tau protein becomes defective and detaches from the microtubules. Thus, the skeleton of the neuron dissociates, as it is no longer maintained. Defective tau protein is then assembled to form filaments in the neuron. Without the skeleton the neurons degenerate and connections between the neurons are lost. The abnormal...

Words: 2911 - Pages: 12

Free Essay

Aaaa

...you develop your reflective learning and writing skills. In this eModule, you will be able to explore further: social changes from world globalizing processes, health care and globalizing processes, and finally, globalizing processes and cultural diversity in Australia. As you will be aware there is one Reflective Learning and Writing proforma on LEO that you are asked to use for your Reflective Learning and Writing task (2,500 words). At the end of this eModule (look under the green box) there are five questions from which you can choose a question to answer for your second assessment task. Learning Outcomes and Graduate Attributes The Learning Outcomes (with numbering from your Unit Outline) that will be addressed in this eModule are as follows – 1. explain changes in contemporary Australian society, culture and health related to world globalising processes; 2. discuss the impact of societal changes and an increasing cultural diversity in Australia on the provision of health care; 3. contrast how health and illness are constructed within diverse cultures and biomedical constructions of health and illness in Australia; 5. differentiate the health issues of vulnerable people in marginalised social groups in Australia; HLSC 120 Semester 1, 2014 eModule 2 Page 1 7. apply the principles of cultural sensitivity...

Words: 2346 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Type 2 Diabetes Type 1 Assignment

...diabetes is the most common form of diabetes in Australia, it is a progressive disease that results in a reduced production of insulin and therefore the inability for the body and body tissue to properly respond to insulin. List and explain 4 influences which influence your daily diet and food choices - Not enough time to cook healthy and nutritious meals - Healthy and organic foods are often a lot more expensive to purchase when compared to less nutritious foods - Advertisements influence diet in either a positive or negative direction. - Living in a family, typically there isn’t much choice given to what foods will be offered at mealtimes. Research your chosen lifestyle...

Words: 783 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Reseach Proposal

... Identification of Research Topic Over the past five years while working in a residential care home for people with dementia, the researcher has observed that incidents of violence and aggression both physical and verbal towards health care staff happened regularly. The incidents of aggression affected staff mentally and physically but the majority of incidents went unreported. The nursing staff, registered nurses and nursing assistants in this environment both acknowledged the seriousness of this on-going problem to them. However the reluctance to report the aggression is because they considered the aggression to be part of the job despite them acknowledging it as a problem. England is an ageing society and as the population ages, health care providers, government, communities and families are faced with the burden of caring for people with dementia (Cubit, 2010). According to Access Economics (2005), dementia is becoming increasingly predominant to the aging population worldwide. A survey of over 15000 care homes in England and Wales found that 78% of residents were cognitively impaired (Bowman et al, 2004). In addition the Alzheimer`s Society (2007) reported that there are around 750 000 people in United Kingdom with a dementing illness. A more recent survey by the Alzheimer`s Society (2009) reported that around one third of older people with dementia in UK live in residential home care settings, representing 200 000 individuals. According to Leonard et al (2006); Zuidema...

Words: 5535 - Pages: 23

Free Essay

Ethical Issues Arising from the Real Time Tracking and Monitoring of People Using Gps-Based Location Services

...Location Services, Bachelor of Information and Communication Technology (Honours), University of Wollongong, 2005,71p. Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library: research-pubs@uow.edu.au Ethical Issues arising from the Real Time Tracking and Monitoring of People Using GPS-based Location Services Abstract The Global Positioning System is a constellation of 24 satellites which have the ability to calculate the position, time and velocity of any GPS receiver. Ethical concerns arise when a person carrying a receiver has their location transmitted to second party. This type of tracking has a wide variety of applications including tracking dementia sufferers, tracking parolees and law enforcement. A literature review found that the ethics of GPS tracking has not been thoroughly assessed. This paper investigates the ethical issues arising from the real time tracking of people using GPS-based location services. Usability context analysis and an observational study were the methodology used in this study. Usability context analysis provided insight into GPS tracking over the contexts of care, control and convenience. Its current applications could be seen in the tracking of Alzheimer’s patients, parents tracking children, law enforcement, parolee and sex offenders, terrorist tracking, employee monitoring and...

Words: 20727 - Pages: 83

Free Essay

Invincibles

...| | [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] |Scholarship Positions Newsletter | 80 Scholarships are available undergraduate and postgraduate students to study at the University of Cambridge. International postgraduate applicants should apply by 2 December 2015, and home/EU postgraduate applicants by 6 January 2016. Never Miss a Scholarship: Apply on Time Cambridge International Scholarship Scheme (CISS) in UK, 2016-2017 Provided by: The University of Cambridge, via the Cambridge Trusts Courses: Research Program leading to the PhD Subjects: Multiple Subjects Eligible Students: International Students Application Deadline 2 December 2015 Apply Now Tags: 2016, Cambridge, Featured, International, PhD, Scholarship, September Week 1 (i), UK University of London Free Online Course On Brand Management Provided by: University of London & Coursera Application Deadline Course starts Oct 7, 2015 Tags: 2015, Coursera, Management, University MOOC JSPS Invitation Fellowships for International Applicants in Japan, 2016 Provided by: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Japan Courses: Research Programme Subjects: Humanities, Social Sciences and Natural Sciences Eligible Students: International Applicants Application Deadline September 4, 2015...

Words: 2151 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Acute Nursing

...Nursing Practice: Acute NURS7113 Nursing Practice: Acute NURS7113 Due Date: 2nd May 2016 by 0900hours Due Date: 2nd May 2016 by 0900hours Paper Coordinator: Paper Coordinator: | Faculty of HealthAssignment Cover Sheet | Please complete this sheet and attach to your assignment, ensuring that you print clearly. Student ID: | 21303376 | | | Student Name: | KrishnitaSen | | | Programme Name: | Bachelor of Nursing (Pacific) - Year 3 | | | Paper Name: | NURS7113: Nursing Practice- Acute | | | Assignment Name: | Summative Case Study and Reflection | | | Tutor Name: | | | | Date Submitted: | 2nd May, 2016 | | By submitting this assignment, I certify that the work presented follows the guidelines set out in the Programme Handbook and is my own original work. We reserve the right to withhold marks or request further information if we are not satisfied that the work presented is the student’s own, or has been referenced appropriately. Introduction A nurse has a crucial responsibility to make accurate and appropriate clinical decisions in an acute setting working in partnership with health consumers across varies lifespan (Crisp, Taylor, Douglas, Rebeiro, 2013). The assignment aims to help develop the clinical skills of a nurse by demonstrating key aspects of client-centered nursing care in an acute setting during the placement. This assignment is based on a health consumer; that was encountered during clinical placement who is of...

Words: 4540 - Pages: 19