AUSTRALIA | The National Dementia Action Plan has outlined the Federal Government's dedication to making Australia more inclusive to dementia.
The Albanese Government has released a historic document, the National Dementia Action Plan 2024-2034, marking its commitment to Australia being more dementia inclusive.
The National Dementia Action Plan outlines eight high-level actions for implementation over the next decade. The focus is on increasing dementia awareness, reducing the population’s risk of dementia, and driving better-coordinated dementia services.
Progress against the Plan will be tracked and reported annually through an online dashboard developed by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
The Plan was developed in partnership with state and territory governments and informed by people living with dementia, their carers and families, aged care providers and workers, advocates, health professionals, researchers and peak industry bodies and organisations.
The Federal Government said it has delivered on its commitment to work with state and territory governments to create a better coordinated and integrated approach to dementia support, responding to recommendation 15 of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.
The eight action plans are to promote equity and human rights, tackle stigma, improve awareness and promote inclusivity, to empower individuals to minimise risk where they can and delay onset and progression of, to improve dementia diagnosis and post-diagnosis care and support, to improve treatment and coordination as well as support for people living with dementia, to build capability of the workforce to care for and support people living with dementia, to support carers of people living with dementia, and to improve dementia data, maximise the impact of dementia research and promote innovation.
The Albanese Government has already made significant investments to improve dementia care.
The 2024/25 Budget invested AUD $101.4 million in better care for people with complex care needs as well as readying the health system for new diagnosis and treatment advances.
The reforms will provide AUD $7.7 million in 2025-26 to boost dementia training, following the Royal Commission’s recommendations and, which will direct AUD $1.7 million in 2025-26 to the Australian Dementia Network to continue preparing the healthcare system for new developments in the diagnosis and treatment of dementia.
As part of the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening Medicare, AUD $56.8 million has been allocated to support older patients with dementia to transition out of hospital into aged care. The Federal Government has also invested an additional AUD $8 million to expand the delivery of innovative respite programs.
Importantly, the Plan also fulfils Australia’s obligations in relation to the World Health Organisation’s Global Action Plan on the Public Health Response to Dementia 2017-2025.
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