Dementia Action Week Highlights Alarming Social isolation Faced by Australians Living with Dementia
SYDNEY – as Dementia Action Week (September 15-21) commences, Dementia Australia is urgently calling on Australians to reach out adn reconnect with individuals and families impacted by dementia, addressing a critical issue of social isolation within the community. More than half of dementia carers report feeling isolated, often due to a lack of understanding from friends and family regarding the demands of their role.
This yearS campaign, themed “Nobody can do it alone,” underscores the significant positive impact that sustained support from friends, families, and communities can have on those navigating the challenges of dementia. Research indicates that four in ten people living with dementia experience friends ceasing contact following their diagnosis. With 433,300 Australians currently living with dementia – including 29,000 under the age of 65 – and 1.7 million people involved in their care, the need for connection is paramount.
“People affected by dementia frequently enough tell us that friends and family drift away after a diagnosis, as they are unsure of how to interact,” said Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan. “This leads to social isolation, loneliness and a sense of abandonment, especially for carers who are emotionally stretched and often feel alone.”
lil Mirtl, a Dementia Australia Advocate living with the condition, emphasized the importance of collective support. “None of us can do this on our own,even if we’d love to be able to do so,” she stated. “We have to pull together as a community to do this. We can’t do it alone as individuals, the government can’t do it alone, we need to all act together.”
Dementia is now the leading cause of death in Australia, and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare projects that the number of Australians living with dementia will exceed one million by 2065. Dementia Australia offers resources to facilitate reconnection, including guidance on simple gestures like phone calls, visits, and assistance with daily tasks.
Further information and resources are available on the Dementia Action Week website: https://www.dementia.org.au/dementiaactionweek.
