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3 - Addressing Dementia Needs in Australia
- Edited by Anthea Innes, University of Salford, Debra Morgan, University of Saskatchewan, Canada, Jane Farmer, Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria
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- Book:
- Remote and Rural Dementia Care
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 10 March 2021
- Print publication:
- 08 May 2020, pp 37-56
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- Chapter
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Summary
Introduction
Of 23 million Australians, there were 436,366 people living with a diagnosis of dementia in 2018 (Dementia Australia, 2018a). Dementia Australia estimates that close to 600,000 people will be living with dementia in the next decade and by 2058, the number will rise to over a million (Dementia Australia, 2018a). Dementia is the second leading cause of death for Australians (AIHW, 2016) and the single greatest cause of disability in older Australians (aged 65 years or older) (AIHW, 2012).
By 2025, the annual cost of dementia, to Australia, is projected to be around A$18.7 billion and A$36.8 billion by 2056. Unpaid family carers play a critical role in providing care for Australians living with dementia; informal carers are estimated to provide approximately A$60.3 billion of unpaid services annually, which translates to over A$1 billion per week (Deloitte Access Economics, 2015).
People of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background have up to five times higher risk of developing dementia, compared with the general population (NATSEM, 2017) and Indigenous people tend to be affected by dementia at an earlier age than other Australians. Around 20 per cent of Australians with dementia come from a culturally or linguistically diverse (that is, non-White English-speaking) background.
Australian Government policy relating to dementia
Australia's current policy approach is guided by the National Framework for Action on Dementia 2015– 2019 (Department of Health, 2015) and aims to ‘Improve the quality of life for people living with dementia and their support networks’ (p 2) by ‘drawing on current evidence to promote dementia friendly societies and delivery of consumer-focused care’ (p 1).
The priority areas of the framework comprise:
a commitment to increasing awareness and reducing risk;
timely diagnosis;
access to care and support following diagnosis;
access to ongoing care and support;
access to care and support during and after hospital care;
access to end-of-life and palliative care; and
promotion of, and support for, research.
Driven by these priorities, the objectives of the framework are supported through a complex network of health and aged care services delivered variously through funding and services from Commonwealth (that is, national federal) government, state and territory governments, and local governments as well as private and not-for profit service providers.
A study of the effectiveness of MP3 players to support family carers of people living with dementia at home
- Virginia Lewis, Michael Bauer, Margaret Winbolt, Carol Chenco, Francine Hanley
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- Journal:
- International Psychogeriatrics / Volume 27 / Issue 3 / March 2015
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 23 September 2014, pp. 471-479
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- Article
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Background:
Music can be therapeutic to people with dementia; however, little is known about its effect on the family carers. This project aimed to (1) assess the effects of MP3 player use by a person with dementia on caregivers’ mental health and wellbeing, including their self-care and health-promoting behavior and (2) determine whether MP3 player use increases caregivers’ self-reported capacity to cope with their role.
Methods:A pre–post quantitative and qualitative design was used. Carers completed a survey prior to commencing and four weeks after using the player. The survey included validated measures to assess the level of stress and coping among carers. Carers also kept a diary of the way they used the MP3 player. Half of the carers were interviewed about their experiences at the end of the study.
Results:Of 59 people who started using the MP3 player, 51 carers completed the four-week study period and surveys. Use of the MP3 player significantly decreased psychological distress, significantly improved the mental health and wellbeing of carers, significantly increased caregiver self-efficacy to manage symptoms of dementia, and was reported to provide valued respite from the high level of vigilance required for caring for a person with dementia.
Conclusion:An MP3 player loaded with music can be a low cost and relatively simple and effective additional strategy to support families caring for people with dementia in the community.