Anne Urquhart (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Polley, I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) there are more than 436,000 Australians living with dementia, with around 244 diagnosed with dementia each day,

  (ii) without a medical breakthrough, the number of people living with dementia is projected to increase to 590,000 in just 10 years and almost 1 million by 2058, and

  (iii) dementia is the leading cause of death for Australian women, and within the next five years will be the leading cause of death for all Australians;

(b) acknowledges:

  (i) the estimated 1.5 million Australians involved in the care of someone living with dementia who are often unrecognised or acknowledged for their tireless work,

  (ii) that people living with dementia, their families and carers are significantly lonelier than the general public, and

  (iii) that while Christmas represents joy and happiness for many of us, it can also be a very lonely, confusing and stressful time for those living with dementia and their carers; and

(c) urges all levels of Government:

  (i) to remind those in their community to be mindful and patient if working in retail or other services, and

  (ii) to continue raising awareness of dementia so that people living with dementia and their families are better supported and included in their communities.