Sharon Grierson (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the motion on Dementia Awareness Week that appears on the Notice Paper under my name and I thank those colleagues who are speaking in support of this motion. Dementia is the greatest cause of disability in Australians aged 65 and over. Almost 280,000 Australians live with dementia today, and 1.2 million provide them with support and care. Every week, an estimated 1,600 new cases of dementia occur, with that expected to grow to 7,400 new cases per week by 2050, resulting in one million Australians living with dementia by 2050. This week, Dementia Awareness Week, and World Alzheimer’s Day, on 21 September, both support advocacy for the needs of those living with dementia, their families and their carers. The theme this year is 'Brain health: making the connections.'

Dementia demands our collective attention as a nation and as a government. Many challenges come with improved health and life expectancy outcomes, including rising health and care costs and declining workforce participation. The IMF indicates the life expectancy of Australians aged 60 is increasing at the rate of nine years every half-century. The life expectancy of 80-year-olds has risen by three years since the 1970s. As our population ages, so too grows the number of people in our nation living with dementia.

Dementia is not just one specific disease. It is a group of symptoms caused by disorders impacting the brain, affecting thinking, behaviour and an individual's ability to perform tasks and interactions that the rest of us take for granted. Brain function is affected enough to interfere with a person's normal functions, which may impact their family, social and working life. Dementia typically affects the elderly, with one in four people over 85 affected. However, as we all know, it is not exclusive to older people; dementia can affect people in their 40s or in their 50s, and we have met many such people here at Parliament House. If signs and symptoms are noticed, early diagnosis can mean early access to support, information and medication, if available. Signs of dementia can include progressive and frequent memory loss, confusion, personality change, apathy and withdrawal, and loss of ability to perform everyday tasks. Early diagnosis and the awareness of general practitioners are absolutely vital. While medication is available to alleviate associated symptoms, there is currently no cure.

In Newcastle and the Hunter Region, dementia rates are above average. An Access Economics report for Alzheimer’s Australia states that dementia will affect over three per cent of the Hunter-New England and North Coast population by 2050. The number is expected to increase in the Hunter New England Health area from almost 12,000 in 2010 to over 32,000 in 2050.

Earlier this year, I welcomed to Parliament House Dr Maggie Haertsch and Jean-Paul Bell of the Arts Health Institute, based in Newcastle. Their work focuses on stimulating the brain of dementia patients through social interaction—specifically, with humour and laughter. The parliamentary screening of their documentary The Smile Within, which featured on Compass, followed the delivery of humour intervention to a number of residents in aged-care facilities, part of their federally funded SMILE Study, which was highly successful.

I was very pleased when federal, state and territory health ministers announced this year that dementia would be made the ninth national health priority. Alzheimer’s Australia President Ita Buttrose said:

This decision marks a seismic shift in the attitudes of our policy makers …

It has always been front and centre, but it is good to have it designated as a national health priority. It will greatly assist in raising awareness, reducing stigma and creating a coordinated approach to dementia across the country. I congratulate Alzheimer’s Australia and their CEO, Glenn Rees, on their tireless campaigning and on their determined and reasoned voice in the national conversation.

Also I note that the Sunday Telegraph reported yesterday on new research indicating that exercise, music and socialising, activities that keep the brain active, can decrease the risk of developing dementia. That is the message behind the Your Brain Matters campaign, launched this week by Alzheimer’s Australia, which encourages people to participate in activities that continue to stimulate the mind to prevent dementia. I am really pleased to say that this program was the first in the world to gain public funding: funding from the federal government of $4 million over three years. Evidence states that, if we can reduce physical inactivity by five per cent every five years, we can reduce the prevalence of dementia by 11 per cent by 2051, or by around 100,000 people.

This week, the Parliamentary Friends of Dementia look forward to welcoming internationally renowned Alzheimer's expert Dr Serge Gauthier, of McGill University, Canada, who is visiting Australia as part of Dementia Awareness Week. As we continue the public discussion and shine a light on dementia, we are helping to reduce the stigma and moving towards increased rates of early intervention and improved care and support for those that need it most in our communities.

Teresa Gambaro (Brisbane, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Citizenship and Settlement) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to second the motion moved by the member for Newcastle. I am delighted to acknowledge the contribution that she has made to this issue. I have also worked with her on the parliamentary friendship group on dementia, which she chairs.

As the motion states, dementia is the greatest cause of disability in older Australians aged 65 and over. According to statistics provided by Alzheimer's Australia, almost 280,000 Australians currently live with dementia. Without a significant medical breakthrough, that is expected to soar to almost one million people by 2050. Each week there are 1,600 new cases of dementia in Australia, and that is expected to grow to 7,400 new diagnoses each week by 2050. Dementia is the third leading cause of death in Australia after heart disease and stroke. The total estimated worldwide cost of dementia is US$604 billion in 2010, and this cost accounts for about one per cent of the world's gross domestic product. Australia faces a shortage of more than 150,000 paid and unpaid carers for people with dementia by 2029. The cost of replacing all family carers with paid carers is estimated to be $5.5 billion per annum.

Dementia is one of the forgotten diseases in our society. We almost accept it, to the extent that it is one of those things that is part of life. It is time, however, that we started to treat dementia as a core health issue in this nation from both a research and prevention point of view and a reactive or carer aspect. Most of us tend to think of Alzheimer's disease when we think of dementia. However, there are actually many types of dementia. The effects of different types of dementia are similar but not identical, as each one tends to affect different parts of the brain, and there are more than 100 diseases that cause dementia. Alzheimer's disease, however, is the most common form of dementia, accounting for between 50 and 70 per cent of all dementias.

As we know, Alzheimer's disease is a physical disease which attacks the brain, resulting in impaired memory, thinking and behaviour. The observation of a loved one suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's disease can be truly tragic. To see someone's mind deteriorate to the point of not being able to remember or comprehend those that they love is heartbreaking, and to see sufferers not being able to remember a lifetime of experiences with their families is absolutely devastating.

The other side to this terrible disease is the level of care that is required for sufferers of dementia. This is particularly hard on family members who spend their days caring for dementia sufferers. As I mentioned before, Australia is going to have a huge shortage of carers, particularly when we go into the future, and if we allocated a cost to family care it would exceed $5 billion.

This motion recognises Dementia Awareness Week, which runs from 21 to 28 September. It raises awareness in promoting and advocating for the needs of those living with dementia, their families and their carers. I want to acknowledge the great work that is being done by Alzheimer's Australia, Glenn Rees and all of his team there and particularly acknowledge Ita Buttrose as President of Alzheimer's Australia for the key role that they all play in advocating for a new funding model for the research of this disease so that one day we will be able to truly find a cure.

I know that the designation of dementia as the ninth national health priority is very, very pleasing to Alzheimer's Australia. They have been working on this campaign for many, many years. I know that the work of the member for Newcastle in starting this parliamentary friendship group has certainly advocated for and put this disease higher on the priority list than it has been in the past, and I want to thank her. I have enjoyed working with her. I know that we have a very long way to go. In the past much of the work that has been done on dementia has clearly been focused on the care of dementia patients, and not in the research aspect of it, so it will be very pleasing to know that there is going to be much more funding for research to ensure that we find the answer to unlocking one of the most devastating illnesses that affects so many sufferers and their families in Australia.

It is an important week. I look forward to the guest speakers who will be coming along in a few days to talk to us. I want to acknowledge again that it is a pleasure to rise and support this very worthy cause. I will continue to advocate for more funding for research, and particularly, for the care of dementia patients in the electorate of Brisbane and I look forward to seeing a cure one day that will make a real impact on the lives of so many people who suffer from this devastating illness.

Sharon Bird (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Higher Education and Skills) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to support the motion before this chamber tonight put by the member for Newcastle, and commend her for bringing this motion to the attention of the House. In particular, I acknowledge that it came as no surprise to me that she would do so, because she has a long history of advocacy for people in many circumstances where they suffer from disadvantage or disability, but this is an important one too. I also want to endorse the comments of the member for Brisbane. And I am sure that in regard to my colleagues the members for Shortland and Ryan, who are in the chamber to speak on it, I will be able to endorse their comments in advance, because I know that both of them are people well committed to the issues that confront those dealing with dementia as well.

The motion that has been put before us from the member for Newcastle, starts by noting the extent of the problem as it confronts us as a nation, and it is true that dementia is a significant chronic disease. It is the third leading cause of death in Australia—that is, after heart disease and stroke. There are one in four people over the age of 85 who have dementia, and the number of people living with dementia is expected to grow from 269,000 people today to almost one million by 2050. It is important to realise that around 52 per cent of all aged care recipients have some form of dementia.

For many people it can take more than three years from the time when they are first noticing symptoms to actually receiving a diagnosis of dementia, and it is important that we get better support and training in place, particularly for health professionals, to assist them in caring for individuals when behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia are apparent. Earlier intervention will enable us to ensure individuals with dementia can live in their home environment for a longer period of time.

The member for Newcastle's motion acknowledges the size of this particular problem. I think the member herself made the point—as she does in the motion—that there are 1,600 new cases of dementia occurring every week, and that number is expected to grow to 7,400 new cases per week by 2050. It is a significant health problem for the nation, but each and every one of those cases is a significant health problem for the family involved. It is not an easy disease for people to deal with, and it is important, I believe, that it is prioritised by all governments so that we can intervene earlier and more effectively and provide better support, not only to the sufferer but to their family and carers as well.

Part of that is the second point of the member's motion, which recognises the importance of Dementia Awareness Week, which starts this Friday, 21 September, and will provide the opportunity to raise awareness and promote the needs of dementia sufferers, their families and carers. It is a very important activity to undertake. I just want to take the opportunity in regard to that to acknowledge some work by a group in my own area, a support network that I have met with on a number of occasions, and the local Alzheimer's Australia group of people who have been working to put together a free public seminar for Dementia Awareness Week, entitled 'Unravelling the myths about dementia'. It will be on next Wednesday, 26 September, and they have secured a special guest speaker, Sue Pieters-Hawke, who, as many people would be aware, has written the book Hazel's Journey, dealing with many of the issues that families are struggling with around dementia.

I want to acknowledge and commend Val Felland her team for putting that seminar together. It will be followed by a community expo, where a lot of service providers will engage with and talk to families about what services they can provide. There will be a welcome to country by Aunty Bev Almah, and also they will be hearing from Miss Danielle Wright, the manager of education for Alzheimer's Australia and the 'Your brain matters' campaign, which the member for Newcastle referred to. Also Dr Clair Langford, a geriatrician at Illawarra health, will be talking about the facts and the myths, and there will also be some local providers there. Kelly Andrews from the University of Wollongong is talking about a pilot program that they are running, which is very good, on dementia services.

It will be an excellent activity all around. I think Val and her team should be commended for organising that as overall it is an important issue. The government has made it one of its nine health priorities, as the member for Newcastle indicated, and I think it is well worth all of those in this House participating in such activities in Dementia Awareness Week.

Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to support this motion and comments made by previous speakers in this chamber in raising awareness of those living with dementia in our community and their carers. As many Australians would know, and the member for Newcastle stated in moving this motion, dementia is the greatest cause of disability in Australians aged 65 and over. Although most people with dementia are older, it is important to remember that not all older people get dementia; it is not a normal part of ageing. Dementia can happen to anybody—people in their 40s and 50s can also have dementia.

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe various conditions which damage brain cells and lead to a gradual loss of brain function. There are many different types of dementia, but Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia are the most common forms. The symptoms of dementia worsen over time. How quickly dementia progresses depends entirely on the individual and each person will have their own unique experience with dementia.

Dementia is usually characterised by a gradual deterioration in memory and in the person's ability to carry out everyday activities, make decisions, understand information and express themselves. Dementia may also have an effect on a person's mood, personality and behaviour. There are almost 280,000 Australians living with dementia, and 1.2 million who will provide support and care. An estimated 1,600 new cases of dementia occur every week, as we have heard, and without a significant medical breakthrough this is expected to soar to almost one million by 2050.

Dementia is Australia's third leading cause of death after heart disease and stroke, and to date there is no cure. When in government, the coalition committed $320 million in the 2005 budget to help fund the dementia initiative, making dementia a national health priority. Despite this initiative proving of invaluable assistance to dementia sufferers, and a government evaluation of October 2009 finding the initiative successful, Labor have deliberately dropped funding for this program. I was pleased to see that at a recent meeting of health ministers this Labor government backed down on a disastrous decision and again named dementia as a national health priority area, as it was under the Howard government. I note that this designation is expected to enhance the development of a new National Framework for Action on Dementia, which will contribute to current and future work being undertaken to tackle dementia, including the national research effort. As always with these Labor government announcements the devil is in the detail, and sadly we are no wiser as to how important research into dementia and its effects will be funded.

My electorate of Ryan is home to the University of Queensland, and situated within its campus is an outstanding team of researchers based at the Queensland Brain Institute Centre for Ageing Dementia Research. The researchers at CADR aim to develop both novel pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical strategies to prevent or delay the onset of ageing dementia, as well as working to develop more sensitive and accurate diagnostic tools. The CADR is the only centre in Australia dedicated to age and dementia research.

The CADR was launched earlier this year, and I was fortunate to be given a tour a few months ago of its state-of-the-art facilities. The CADR is expected to grow to five independent research groups within the next three years to expand their groundbreaking work. This is critical research, and I certainly hope that this government recognises the benefits of this work for all Australians by allocating direct R&D funding to the CADR so that they can continue to expand their research areas and outcomes.

Dementia Awareness Week, which occurs this year from 21 September to 28 September, will play a significant role in promoting and advocating the needs of those living with dementia, their families and carers. I also acknowledge the ongoing contributions of Alzheimer's Australia in its outstanding advocacy and support for those affected by dementia. With no known cure for dementia, support is vital for people with dementia, and the help of families, friends and carers can make a positive difference to managing the condition. On 27 September, as part of Dementia Awareness Week, Alzheimer's Australia and the Queensland branch, in conjunction with the Queensland Brain Institute, is hosting a public seminar with Dr Serge Gauthier at the University of Queensland. Dr Gauthier will speak about a number of topics relating to dementia, including the possible causes of dementia and the prospects of new treatments. I would encourage everyone who is available to attend. I thank the member for Newcastle for raising this important issue in this parliament.

Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would like to congratulate the member for Newcastle on bringing this motion to the House. In doing so I would like to say that I had been really inspired by the spirit of this debate until the last speaker, who sought to politicise the debate. I think all members of this parliament are here to look at the issue of dementia. All those who are speaking in the debate really recognise the impact that dementia is having in our community and have a mind to work together to try to resolve it and come up with some answers.

The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing is currently conducting an inquiry into dementia, and I note that a number of members of that committee, the member for Parkes, the member for Hindmarsh and the member for Swan, will be speaking in the debate. In our approach to this very, very important issue we have looked at this problem and have all worked together to try to come up with some recommendations that will work for the future of our nation. Dementia is such a big problem. It is an enormous problem and, unless we get some answers, unless the research takes place and more programs are put in place, it will have a devastating effect on our society.

The terms of reference of the inquiry are looking at improving the quality of life and assisting people with dementia to remain independent for as long as possible; increasing opportunities for continued social engagement and community participation; helping people with dementia and their carers to plan for their future and looking at things such as their financial and legal affairs; and how best to deliver awareness and communication on dementia and dementia based services.

One of the issues that came across right from the beginning is the need for early diagnosis and developing a plan for early intervention, because that is the way that people have the best prognosis. I would like to refer to the submission from the national office of Alzheimer's Australia, who appeared before the committee last week. They structured their submission in five parts. They talked about the benefits of early diagnosis of dementia and intervention for the person suffering from dementia and the broader social and economic benefits of early diagnosis, because the earlier that a person is diagnosed the longer they can continue to enjoy a normal life; barriers to better diagnosis and management of the person's need and the care provided; strategies to achieve early diagnosis; strategies to improve post diagnosis intervention and management; and factors that need to be considered in providing for the development, assessment and treatment of dementia.

I will not go into the facts and figures that other people have already highlighted and that are included in the motion by the member for Newcastle. Rather, I want to spend a bit of time on the theme of this week, which is to keep the brain active with physical exercise, music, card games and socialising as these can decrease your risk of developing Alzheimer's. That is the message of Alzheimer's Australia's new campaign, encouraging all Australians to learn new skills and participate in activities that stimulate the mind and body, challenging your brain with new activities, staying engaged. Staying engaged is so important to keeping your mind healthy. Exercise is also an important part of keeping your mind healthy and putting the brakes on dementia.

Dementia is something that we are confronted with as a society. I congratulate the minister on lifting its status to the level that he has. I know that my fellow members of the Health and Ageing Committee are committed to coming up with recommendations to improve the future for people suffering from dementia, and strategies that are going to make their lives better.

Mark Coulton (Parkes, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Deputy Speaker Windsor, I recognise your elevation to the chair.

Tony Windsor (New England, Independent) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have been elevated for some time!

Mark Coulton (Parkes, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is the random nature of this place. I would like to acknowledge the member for Newcastle for bringing this very important motion into the House. Dementia Awareness Week is a very important part of the process to bring dementia to the forefront for the Australian population. I think awareness of dementia is one of the issues that are creating a lot of the difficulties for dementia sufferers and their families, because early diagnosis is clearly one of the better ways to get on top of the treatment and control it. Indeed, the sooner that someone is diagnosed with dementia, the better their chance of living independently, living in their own home and prolonging the elevation of the disease over time.

There are a number of measures that we can all take to try and prevent dementia grabbing hold of us sooner than it needs to. One of those is regular exercise. What is fascinating for those of us who are members of the Health and Ageing Committee is that we are finding that exercise and a healthy lifestyle can help decrease the risk of not only dementia but a lot of other diseases later on. The increased blood flow through the brain evidently is just as important as keeping mentally active by whatever means that might be.

I would like to focus on the difficulty of caring for someone with dementia in a rural and regional area. There are a couple of examples I would like to give. In one of my towns, Lake Cargelligo—that is in the Riverina, the central west area of New South Wales—there is no high-care facility for people who have dementia. I know a couple of men in that town whose wives have dementia. They cared for them as long as they possibly could in their own homes, but finally they had to go into higher care. Lake Cargelligo is a bit over 100 kilometres from Condobolin, the nearest care centre. That amounts to a 200-kilometre round trip to see their wives. These people who have been together for 60-plus years are now separated. It is almost like a premature death. There is no public transport, and these men are in their 80s. At best, they can manage one visit a week. We know that it makes a difference if people can be cared for close to home and that one of the important things is for family members to be in there on a daily basis to help with the feeding, to keep stimulating their brains and all those things. If you are separated from your spouse by a 200-kilometre round trip and you are in your 80s, that is a tragedy. In this day and age, it is a real shame that we still have that situation in Australia.

Another example I would like to give is of a lady who is caring for her husband and is determined that, while ever she has the strength in her body, she is going to care for him. They live 70 kilometres from town on a rural property. She has had to convert her home, including putting locks on all the cupboards and putting in a fence so her husband cannot wander. She has dedicated her life to caring for him because she does not want him to have to go to a care centre that would be 70 kilometres away. She is having a lot of difficulty getting the home care to help her with that task that someone who lived in a larger centre or in the city would take for granted.

Ageing in general is the freight train that is coming to Australia. Dementia is very much a part of that. By 2050 a million people in Australia will be suffering from dementia. It is important that we are prepared for that event.

Yvette D'Ath (Petrie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to support the motion on dementia moved by the member for Newcastle and thank her not only for bringing it forward but for the great work she does with the Parliamentary Friends of Dementia. This motion outlines that there are almost 280,000 Australians living with dementia and 1.2 million people who provide support and care and that dementia is the greatest cause of disability in Australians aged 65 and over. What is dementia? It is described as a collection of symptoms caused by disorders affecting the brain. It is a significant chronic disease and is the third leading cause of death in Australia after heart disease and stroke. It affects thinking, behaviour and the ability to perform everyday tasks. Brain function is affected enough to interfere with a person's normal social or working life. Eventually, dementia leaves a person unable to carry out everyday activities as a consequence of diminished cognitive ability. Today, one in four people over the age of 85 has dementia and around 52 per cent of all aged-care recipients have some form of dementia.

This Friday, 21 September, is World Alzheimer's Day and also marks the beginning of Dementia Awareness Week. It is therefore timely for us to recognise that where fighting dementia is concerned there is always more work to be done. Individuals suffering from dementia and their family and friends deserve our recognition and support. I have to thank the member for Newcastle because it was an event she was at in 2009 that got me talking about the issue, and it was a hard issue to talk about. But it is important to talk about Alzheimer's and the effect it has and that unfortunately it does not discriminate in relation to age: at that Alzheimer's event I indicated that my mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at the age of 56, and she has since passed away. We need to provide support, we need to invest in research and we need to keep the work going. We need support to help loved ones to stay at home and continue to integrate with their community where possible and support within hospital and aged-care facilities where that is the necessary next step. We need to provide better support and training for health professionals and we need to assist them in dealing with the behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.

As I said, if you think dementia is only related to ageing then think again. In 2012 there are approximately 16,000 people who have younger onset dementia, which I spoke about in parliament on 23 May 2011, and the number of people with dementia is expected to rise to a million by 2050. These numbers provide a challenge to families all over Australia every day. Our government is committed to taking up the challenge to help. The designation of dementia as the ninth national health priority area will enhance the development of the new National Framework for Action on Dementia, contributing to current and future work being undertaken to tackle dementia, including the national research effort.

I am proud to say the Gillard government's Living Longer, Living Better aged-care reform package, announced on 20 April, commits $268.4 million in funding over five years to tackle dementia. This funding will help to support our seniors from when they first approach their GP with the early signs of dementia through to when they need a very high level of aged care. The government's Living Longer, Living Better reforms consist of improving diagnosis of dementia and allowing greater opportunity for early medical and social interventions; expanding the scope of dementia behaviour management advisory services; additional assistance for people at home and in aged-care homes; and more funding to provide better care for people with severe behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia.

Up to 50 per cent of all patients in hospitals have cognitive impairment. Many of these people may not be identified as having dementia and therefore do not receive the appropriate care. In fact, for many people it can take more than three years from the time they first notice symptoms to when they receive a diagnosis of dementia. Let us recognise the great work of our local providers. Let us recognise the great work of Alzheimer's Australia, whose Queensland branch recently attended my aged-care forums. I look forward to continuing work with them. I want to recognise the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing for the inquiry that they are conducting on early intervention for dementia, and I want to tell everyone that during Dementia Awareness Week they can find out information. The number is 1800100500. They should seek support for themselves and their loved ones.

Ken O'Dowd (Flynn, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak in support of the motion from the member for Newcastle. As the motion outlines:

(a) dementia is the greatest cause of disability in Australians aged 65 and over;

(b) there are almost 280,000 Australians living with dementia and 1.2 million who provide support and care; and

(c) every week an estimated 1,600 new cases of dementia occur, with the number expected to grow to 7,400 new cases per week by 2050, resulting in 1 million Australians living with dementia by 2050;

Another key point on the disease is that the most common types of dementia are Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, Parkinson's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, FTLD, Huntington's disease, alcohol related dementia and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

The CSIRO have stated that historically the success of reducing the impact of this chronic disorder on individuals rests on two fundamental pillars: early diagnosis and intervention. There are great gains being made, but a lot more has to be done, as we are all aware. Dementia is the third leading cause of death in Australia, after heart attack and stroke. Dementia is therefore fatal, and as yet there is no cure as such. One in four people over the age of 85 have dementia. Dementia is not a normal part of ageing. Dementia has an impact on every part of the health and care system that we have today.

I would like to recognise the significance of Dementia Awareness Week, from the 21st to the 28th of this month. I acknowledge the ongoing contributions of Alzheimer's Australia and the state and territory associations in supporting and advocating for all people affected by this disease. I myself had a family member who was affected by dementia: my Aunty Dorothy, who is now no longer with us. She lived in a home for the last two or three years of her life. When I took my mother to visit her sister-in-law in this home, she insisted that we stop overnight because there were plenty of beds. She said: 'Look, there are hundreds of beds here. You're all very welcome to stop.' When her two daughters arrived later that afternoon, she said to her elder daughter, 'Who are you?' Her daughter replied, 'I'm Yvonne, your daughter.' She said: 'I didn't know I had one. Who's the other lady with you?' Her daughter said, 'That's your other daughter, Stephanie.' She said: 'Good Lord! I've got two daughters. How come?' She lived another couple of years after that, but it finally got the better of her and she passed on. That was my Aunty Dorothy, but she was just one of the one in four over the age of 85 who has it. She was about 88 when she died.

Dementia is a disease which affects many people right across the country, including in regional areas such as in my electorate of Flynn. I fully support all efforts being made to undertake research into this disease and the work being done to find improvements in treatment and care for sufferers right across the country. I applaud all those who work in support of those suffering from this disease for their tireless efforts in helping to improve the quality of life for sufferers and their families.

Alan Griffin (Bruce, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to support the member for Newcastle's motion on dementia and to highlight the significance of Dementia Awareness Week. It is important to improve awareness and understanding within the Australian community of the significance of dementia and its impact on many families. We need to support more research into how to deal with the terrifying—it is terrifying for the families involved—results of dementia and to ensure that the community as whole becomes more aware, and so understanding, of the sorts of problems that dementia produces.

Dementia Awareness Week has a theme this year: 'Worried about your memory?'. It is all about encouraging people to look after their brain health by leading a brain healthy lifestyle. It is important to be physically active, maintain an active social life and keep mentally stimulated. Those are among the best things you can do to reduce your risk of developing dementia.

As has been said by other speakers, dementia is the third leading cause of death in Australia after heart disease and stroke. One in four people over the age of 85 have dementia and the number of people living with dementia is expected to grow from around 270,000 people today to almost one million by 2050. That is, if you like, a natural symptom of an ageing society, but it is all the more reason why, as a society, we need to be aware of it. We need to do all we can to deal with it and minimise its impact on the future of our nation.

Although it is not a normal part of ageing, it is something which can happen to anybody. It is more common for those over the age of 65, but there are some 16,000 people who have younger onset dementia. Members of parliament—either through their dealings with aged-care facilities in their local community or through their own families—generally have experience of people suffering from dementia. I have been lucky that, in my immediate family, it has not been an issue for some years, although my grandmother on my mother's side did suffer from Alzheimer's. I know, though, from visiting my father in an aged-care facility that many people in such facilities have been touched by it. The strugglings of those who have this terrible affliction are tragic to watch.

I mentioned earlier the importance of understanding and awareness. I would like to commend to the House a booklet by Alzheimer's Australia, entitled Worried about your memory, which is all about improving understanding of the signs and symptoms of dementia. If we know what to look out for, the potential to do something about it is much greater. The ten signs of dementia, the signs that people should be looking out for, are (1) memory loss that disrupts daily life; (2) challenges in planning or solving problems; (3) difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure; (4) confusion with time or place; (5) trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships; (6) new problems with words in speaking or writing; (7) misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps; (8) decreased or poor judgement; (9) withdrawal from work or social activities; and (10) changes in mood and personality. These are the factors that people need to look out for in their loved ones, in their families, in order to ensure that, should those signs exhibit themselves, they look to try and give those people the help that they will need. There are tests that can be done and I certainly urge anyone who feels that someone close to them is facing those circumstances to take action.

I would like to commend all those involved in Dementia Awareness Week for their efforts in ensuring that this is better understood, and I would like to say to all those who are out there dealing with people in these circumstances as carers that the support you give is worth while and should be acknowledged.

Natasha Griggs (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the motion brought to the House by the member for Newcastle, and I commend her for raising this very important issue. As we have heard, it is Dementia Awareness Week. It is important that as parliamentarians we show our support and advocacy for those in the community affected by dementia—not just those diagnosed with dementia but the families and friends who are also impacted by this terrible disease.

I take my role as Alzheimer's Australia champion very seriously and I will continue to advocate and fight for appropriate funding to tackle this terrible disease which affects not just the elderly in our community, which is the perception. There are currently around 280,000 Australians—and 1,600 new cases diagnosed each week—living with dementia who are cared for by 1.2 million dedicated carers. The number of sufferers is expected to dramatically increase to 465,000 by 2031 and to 980,000 Australians by 2050. That equates to around 7,400 new cases each week.

A report commissioned by Access Economics in 2009 found that there are approximately 740 dementia sufferers in the Northern Territory, with 460 of those living in Darwin. By 2015 the number of sufferers across the Northern Territory is projected to rise to 6,400, an increase of 8.6 per cent, with 4,700 of those living in Darwin, an increase of 10.2 per cent. It is concerning for me as the federal member that the Northern Territory is predicted to have the highest growth numbers for dementia sufferers of all the states and territories.

It will come as no surprise that the coalition has always been committed to supporting those affected by dementia. In the 2005 budget the Howard government committed $320 million to fund a dementia initiative, making dementia a national health priority. In 2009 a Labor government evaluation found the initiative successful but they deliberately at this point closed the funding program down. After another Labor backflip the funding has recently been reinstated—and I think we all agree it should never have been removed in the first place.

Dementia Awareness Week is an important annual national initiative which, as I said earlier, is occurring this week along with World Dementia Day which is being observed globally on Friday, 21 September. The theme for Dementia Awareness Week is 'Brain health: making the connections', with a focus on raising awareness of this disease and the need for everyone to keep their brain active. This week is aimed at informing people who believe that they may have memory problems to seek information and help.

The stigma around dementia today is as widespread as it ever was, with more than half of Australians mistakenly attributing the symptoms of dementia as a normal part of ageing. Education is the only way to dispel this myth. As an Alzheimer's Australia dementia champion I am calling on all Territorians to support Dementia Awareness Week by getting involved and by encouraging those who they are worried about with memory loss to seek help, because early diagnosis is absolutely crucial. In support of Dementia Awareness Week, there are various activities occurring in my electorate. These include the annual tea dance at the Greek Orthodox school hall in Nightcliff on Tuesday, 25 September. From all accounts, this event is a highlight for Darwin seniors. It features a range of activities, including performances by the Groovy Grans, the Essington Songsters and musician Jim Harte and a display by belly dancers.

For health professionals, there will be presentations in Darwin on Monday, 24 September, by the renowned Dr Serge Gauthier, who is also going to be here talking to us parliamentarians later this week. Back in my electorate on Friday, 21 September, I will be supporting the gathering of champions on World Alzheimer's Day at Raintree Park in Darwin. I will be supporting the fabulous team of dedicated people at Alzheimer's Australia NT in supporting those people with Alzheimer's and dementia in the Northern Territory.

Steve Georganas (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I first of all congratulate the member for Newcastle for bringing such an important motion to the House. Dementia is the greatest cause of disability in Australians aged 65 and over. It is very important that we recognise the significance of Dementia Awareness Week, which is 21 September to 28 September, in promoting and advocating the needs of those living with dementia, and let us not forget their families and their carers. I am very glad that tonight we are here to address this issue, which affects more people in my electorate than anywhere else in the country. You might ask why so. Access Economics recently published a report showing the electorate of Hindmarsh as having the highest rate of dementia in the nation. That is a huge concern. One in four people in my electorate are over the age of 65. This is a problem that will only get bigger, not just in my electorate but across Australia. But the problem at the moment in my electorate is a problem that needs immediate solutions.

The behavioural changes that take place can be very, very dramatic for people who have dementia. It can be very distressing for the person involved and very confronting for the family members who take care of them. Things like hoarding, repetitive behaviour and, unfortunately, aggression, can be really upsetting, and no-one wants to see their mum or their dad or their grandparents or other relatives in that state of distress. We know that more Australians than ever are being diagnosed with dementia and having to come to terms with the challenges that a diagnosis presents. It is great today, as I said, that we can take a few moments to focus on this issue and think about how we can best try and help the nation to cope with the prospect of 7,400 new cases every week. There is a lot of work being done currently on dementia. I would like to also acknowledge the members of my House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing who are here: the deputy chair, the member for Swan, and the member for Shortland, Jill Hall. They have both been involved in the inquiry that we are currently conducting. There will be more said about that as the report comes out later in the year.

It does not matter whether you are 40, 50 or 70 years old. We all need to be aware of the possibility that one day we might get dementia or someone in our family might be affected. How will we cope? What services are available? How can we ensure that we have the very best medical knowledge to promote early diagnosis and effective management of dementia? These are all the things that we are currently looking into in the health and ageing committee. Since March this year, we have been conducting this inquiry into the early diagnosis and treatment of dementia. We are going to be looking at a number of things, but in particular at how early diagnosis can improve the quality of life and assist people with dementia to remain independent for as long as possible, to increase the opportunities for continued social engagement and community participation for people with dementia, and to help people with dementia and their carers to plan for their futures, including organising financial and legal affairs and preparing for the longer term or more intensive care requirements and, of course, how best to deliver awareness and communication on dementia and dementia related services into the community. We know that the earlier it is diagnosed the better it is for the person who has the illness. They can put their affairs into place and prepare for the future. It also prepares those around them for the future.

We have had many hearings. We have had a hearing in my electorate in Adelaide where we had a fantastic organisation, MAC or Multicultural Aged Care, come and brief us on the particular challenges of dementia for people from non-English-speaking backgrounds—things that you would not even necessarily think of: for example, how some aged-care workers took one old man to be talking gibberish, but it turned out that he was asking in Italian for his favourite brand of bottled mineral water and life was made much easier for that person once someone could communicate with him. Most recently, we were up in the electorate of the member for Parkes, visiting Moree, where we heard from some of the local organisations about the challenges of dementia care in rural settings.

It is very important to be able to provide services for the people who we need to look after in their old age and those suffering from this debilitating disease of dementia.

Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is timely that we are debating the motion moved by the member for Newcastle on dementia awareness, for a couple of reasons, and I congratulate the member for moving the motion. Next week, Dementia Awareness Week is being marked across the country with a series of events. But the motion is also timely due to the work we are currently undertaking in the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health and Ageing. We have just heard the member for Hindmarsh talk about that. He mentioned our recent trip to Moree; on that trip he forgot his tie, and I see he is wearing the tie he bought in the main street of Moree—he is not listening, but it is a beautiful tie and I was glad to share a cup of coffee with him afterwards.

The disease that touches many families across Australia is Alzheimer's. It is always distressing for relatives to see the decline, sometimes gradual and sometimes rapid, of their loved ones, and we know that there are many tough decisions to be made in terms of arranging care. This situation has touched my own family recently with my mother being placed in a dementia ward in Victoria, down in Melbourne. To see the degradation in her mental faculties, in her mind, has been concerning to the whole family. But we know she is in a place which is very caring and that is looking after her. Whenever I get the chance I take the opportunity to visit her. It has been lucky that the health and ageing committee has had quite a few hearings in Melbourne, so I have been able to pop down and see her. But, as I said, this disease does touch many people.

In my role as the Deputy Chair of the House of Representative Standing Committee on Health and Ageing, which is currently inquiring into 'Dementia: early diagnosis and intervention', it is pleasing to see that we have had so many speakers here today and that there is a genuine will in the parliament to do what it takes to get to grips with the condition.

The headline on the Alzheimer's Australia website is, 'Fight Alzheimer's; save Australia', and it is true that, with our ageing population, cases of dementia are only going to grow and grow. They will double in the next 20 years. We must do all we can to assist organisations to conduct the research that might make a cure possible someday. We must promote early intervention programs, because if you can catch dementia early it makes a massive difference in the long term as to the quality of life of both the patient and the carers involved.

Our committee's terms of reference are to:

… inquire into and report on the dementia early diagnosis and intervention practices in Australia, with a particular focus on how early diagnosis and intervention can:

There have been a fair number of public hearings so far and there are more to come. We just heard the chair of the committee talk about some of our experiences. In Moree we heard about the lack of services in regional areas, and that is a real issue. That is probably why the member for Newcastle has brought this up, and if there is something that we can do to improve services and improve things for people who need care, hopefully that is what the result of our inquiry and our recommendations to the government will be.

I am particularly looking forward to the Perth public hearing, which is due to be held soon. We are fortunate in my electorate of Swan to have Southcare, which offers aged care services including dementia respite services at their Bickley Club facility. As we heard during the inquiry, respite is important particularly for carers as theirs is a thankless job. That is one of the areas where the committee will have some good recommendations.

As the member for Newcastle's motion notes, dementia is the greatest cause of disability in Australians aged 65 years and over, and we need services that can cater for this across the community. I have had a great relationship with Southcare over the years, and I have been to a couple of openings of new buildings in the last few years. There will be further opportunity to debate the findings and I am sure that we all hope the member for Newcastle will be able to make a contribution to the debate during our committee hearing.

Part two of the motion recognises the significance of Dementia Awareness Week in promoting and advocating the needs of those suffering with dementia, their families and their carers. I am pleased to note that as part of this week Perth will be hosting an event called Brain Health—Making the Connections.

I again congratulate the member for Newcastle for bringing this motion before the House.

Dick Adams (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The time allotted for the debate has expired. The debate is adjourned and the resumption of the debate will be made an order of the day for the next meeting.