During Dementia Action Week (September 16-22), Dementia Australia is challenging all Australians to think differently about dementia by asking 'Dementia doesn't discriminate. Do you?'.
We are calling on our communities to consider how discrimination impacts people of all ages, living with all forms of dementia and their families and carers.
While the number of Australians living with dementia is close to half a million, there are an estimated 1.5 million involved in the care of people living with the disease.
In the federal electorates of Barton, Cook and Hughes there are an estimated 9,046 people living with dementia this year, which is expected to increase to 21,881 by 2058.
Nobody chooses to have dementia. We can however choose how we respond to the people in our lives and in our community who are living with dementia.
We are asking readers to complete a short survey to help us to create an informed, national picture. More information can be found at www.dementia.org.au.
Graeme Samuel chair, Maree McCabe CEO, Dementia Australia
