Alzheimer's Australia Vic Announces Dementia Awareness Week 2008

Main Category: Alzheimer's / Dementia
Article Date: 16 Jul 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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Alzheimer's Australia's major annual awareness campaign, Dementia Awareness Week, will kick off this year on Friday 19 September and conclude on Friday 26 September. The theme this year is 'Mind your Mind, and reduce the risk of dementia'.

To mark Dementia Awareness Week, and to coincide with World Alzheimer's Day on Sunday 21 September, Alzheimer's Australia Vic will open up its doors in Hawthorn for a 'Mind your Mind' themed Open Day. The organisation will also host a number of local events across rural and regional Victoria during the course of the week.

More than 58,000 Victorians are currently living with dementia, and this number is set to grow to 176,000 by 2050 unless there is a medical breakthrough. Across the country, nearly one million Australians are involved in the care of someone with dementia. While a lot more is now known about dementia, there is still no cure.

Yet, there is a growing body of evidence that it may be possible to reduce the risk of developing dementia, or delay the onset. This year, Alzheimer's Australia Vic is using Dementia Awareness Week to promote its 'Mind your Mind' program - to increase awareness of what Victorians can do to help reduce the risk of developing dementia.

Alzheimer's Australia Vic's website (http://www.alzheimers.org.au) and the National Dementia Helpline (1800 100 500) will be the key points for information during the week.

World Alzheimer's Day on Sunday 21 September will carry the theme 'no time to lose', highlighting that dementia is not just a local problem, but a global epidemic. Every seven seconds, somewhere in the world, there is a new case of dementia.

- Alzheimer's Australia Vic is the state's peak body providing education, support and advocacy for Victorians living with dementia and their families. Log on to http://www.alzheimers.org.au or call the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500 for more information.

- Dementia is the term used to describe the symptoms of a large group of illnesses which cause a progressive decline in the functioning of a person's brain. The effects of dementia include loss of memory, intellect, rationality, social skills and what would be considered normal emotional reactions. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer's disease, which accounts for 50-70% of all cases.

- There are currently 58,140 Victorians living with dementia, and this is predicted to increase to 176,000 by 2050 unless there is a medical breakthrough. [1] Across Australia, there are currently 227,360 people living with dementia. [2] Nearly one million Australians are involved in the care of someone with dementia. [3]

- There are currently 29.8 million people with dementia worldwide, with this number

References

1] Access Economics (2005) Dementia Estimates and Projections: Australian States and Territories, Alzheimer's Australia, Canberra

[2] Access Economics (2006) Dementia in the Asia Pacific Region: The Epidemic is Here, Alzheimer's Australia, Canberra

[3] Pfizer Australia (2004) Health Report Issue #6 Dementia, Pfizer Australia, Sydney

Alzheimer's Australia