Celia Hammond (Curtin, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I second the motion. I thank the member for Perth for moving this motion and for the words that he just said. To quote him: dementia is truly awful. As he said, it eats away at a person. It eats away at them mentally and physically and it eats away at their personality.

Dementia is not one specific disease. Rather it's a term which describes a collection of symptoms of a larger group of illnesses. These illnesses cause a progressive decline in a person's functioning, including a loss of memory, confusion, personality change and withdrawal. One of the most common types of dementia is Alzheimer's disease. Unfortunately, there is currently no prevention or cure for most forms of dementia. While we must absolutely prioritise research efforts into dementia, in the absence of a major breakthrough at this point in time, we must ensure that we provide a supportive and loving environment for those who suffer from dementia and for those who care for people who suffer from dementia. The importance of this can't be overstated.

The facts about the incidence and impact of dementia are stark. Dementia is the leading cause of death in women in Australia and the second leading cause of death of all Australians. It is expected to overtake heart disease to become the leading cause of death in coming years. In WA over 42,000 Western Australians live with dementia, and over 240 new diagnoses are made each day. Nationally dementia impacts 472,000 Australians, and there are almost 1.6 million people involved in their care. The 2021 Intergenerational report highlighted that the prevalence of dementia is expected to continue to rise as a result of Australia's ageing population over the next 40 years and that without a medical breakthrough the number of people living with dementia is expected to increase to over one million by 2058.

With approximately 70 per cent of people with dementia living in the community, the need to prepare our communities for an ever-increasing older population , both socially and physically , has never been greater . C ommunities that embrace our demographic shift stand to gain not only from greater social cohesion but also economically, through earlier diagnoses and people living more actively within their communities.

There is no one-size-fits all model for creating a dementia-friendly community. It's something that needs to be developed locally, to meet local needs, and in a local context. And everyone has a role to play in creating dementia-friendly communities, a place where those living with dementia are supported to experience a life of meaning, purpose and value and where the accessibility of the physical environment supports people living with dementia to remain engaged, included and connected.

There are many stories and examples of innovative practice in dementia prevention and dementia care. To highlight one example, something that happens in WA is the Forget-Me-Not cafes, a great initiative where people can come together to support those with dementia and their carers. The cafes provide a safe place for people to visit, socialise and interact with others. During a conversation I had with the chair of Alzheimer's WA, Professor Warren Harding, I provided my support for a memory cafe at Floreat Forum, in my electorate of Curtin. Also, after collaborating with Alzheimer's WA and with the town of Cambridge, we launched the Cambridge memory cafe earlier this year, and it's been a great success. It provides an opportunity for people living with dementia to maintain their community connections and helps to address some of the challenges they face, such as lack of access to safe social activities. Further, the memory cafe in Floreat Forum has raised awareness and understanding among local business operators and visitors to the forum about how we can all better connect with people who are living with dementia in our local community.

By way of finishing, and to reiterate what the member for Perth has said, I will say that Western Australians are so fortunate to be served by Alzheimer's WA. Alzheimer's WA is the leading voice for people living with dementia in WA. For nearly 40 years it has provided a range of support, education and consultancy services to assist people who are living with dementia, as well as their families and carers. With the member for Perth, I went to the opening of their new premises in my electorate—they moved from his electorate to mine; it's not a judgement on him, but they have moved into my electorate!—and we were both there to welcome them and to celebrate their new premises. I want to express my congratulations to all involved in this amazing organisation. Thank you very much.

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