Dementia Action Week 2019
This week, 16 to 22 September, is Dementia Action Week. Formerly Dementia Awareness Month, this initiative of Dementia Australia coincides with World Alzheimer’s Day, on 21 September.
‘A dementia diagnosis is both challenging and confronting for the individual and those close to them’, says Resthaven CEO, Richard Hearn.
‘Feeling unsupported and alone at such a difficult time can add to a sense of isolation. Being able to talk with someone who understands the issues that surround dementia is very important.’
‘There are many forms of dementia—which is an umbrella term for around 100 different causes of cognitive impairment. But it is not that common, and not the most likely cause of cognitive impairment’, says Stephen Harding, Resthaven’s Advanced Practice Nurse Dementia and Mental Health.
‘This is why it is important to gain a diagnosis, then to manage it with the person’s support network, which may be family and friends.
‘The next obstacle may be that support people don’t know what to do or how to act with someone who has dementia, thereby causing them to be more isolated and suffering from loneliness. Educating people in what to expect and how to deal with it is really important.’
Dementia Australia has a range of resources on their website.
For more information about Dementia Action Week, visit their website. This year’s theme is ‘Dementia doesn’t discriminate. Do you?’, which calls on people to consider how discrimination impacts people living with dementia, as well as their families and carers.
All Resthaven residential aged care homes have areas specifically dedicated to supporting people with dementia. They are located at Aberfoyle Park, Bellevue Heights, Craigmore, Leabrook, Malvern, Marion, Mitcham, Murray Bridge, Mount Gambier, Paradise, Port Elliot and Westbourne Park.