Events
December 2011
Information and photos from events the Ambassador for Ageing attended in, December 2011.
Alzheimer’s Australia NSW - Planning Ahead Forum - 8 December 2011
Alzheimer's Australia NSW organised an information seminar in Tweed Heads on 8 December with the theme of planning ahead for the future."I was really pleased to be invited to the event because I wanted to encourage people to consider making plans for their future. Planning ahead is really sensible and it is also the best way a person can ensure their wishes are adhered to in the future," Noeline said.
"I know we don’t like to think about it, but many of us will be affected by either ourselves or someone we know or love getting a diagnosis of dementia or not having the capacity to make our own decisions.
"The truth is, there is uncertainty about our futures so it is very important we make sure if we are ever in the circumstance that we can no longer make our own decisions, our wishes regarding our health care and who we want to make decisions for us are set out in a legally binding document.
"We don’t need to be fearful of what lies ahead as we age but we do need to be prepared, and we need to plan for our futures not just for ourselves, but also for the people who love us. We don’t want our families, friends or carers to feel the stress of not knowing what we would have wanted for ourselves if we can no longer make our own decisions," she said.
In Australia, the incidence of dementia increases as we age - for instance, in the 65 – 69 age group one in 80 females suffers some form of dementia while one in 60 males are affected in the same age group. In the 85 years and older group, the figure rises to one in four people, for both male and female.
The Australian Government is responding to this impact by providing support for programs which improve the care and support available to people with dementia, including research, prevention, early intervention programs as well as training and education initiatives.
The National Dementia Support Program, funded by the Australian Government, provides information and awareness activities which support planning ahead for people with dementia, their families and carers. Funding is also provided by the Australian Government through the National Health and Medical Research Council to support dementia research and innovation.
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