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Commissioner for Senior Victorians, Gerard Mansour, Ìýreflects on Dementia Awareness Month.

September is Dementia Awareness Month and Sunday 21 September is World Alzheimer’s Awareness DayÌýwhere organisations around the world concentrate their efforts on raising awareness about Alzheimer'sÌýand dementia.
With more than 322,000 Australians affected by dementia, better awareness of the needsÌýof people with dementia is essential.
As Commissioner for Senior Victorians, I consider Dementia Awareness Month to be a great opportunityÌýfor us to reflect – what do I know about dementia? There is no better time than right now to learnÌýmore about dementia, memory loss, what it is like to live with dementia and how we can build a moreÌýdementia friendly community.
While the rates of dementia aren’t increasing that is, the number per head of population, the numberÌýof people with dementia continues to increase given our longer life expectancy and increasing numberÌýof older people. A diagnosis of dementia can be challenging and research shows that some peopleÌýavoid spending time with a person who has dementia as it can be confronting. But if we take time, ourÌýcommunity can make a real difference: firstly by each of us improving our personal understanding ofÌýdementia and secondly by setting out to create a more dementia friendly community.
Many of our personal concerns can be addressed by improving our understanding of dementia, and thisÌýwill in turn lead to people with dementia being better supported in our community.
As we age, it is natural for our five senses to deteriorate somewhat – we need glasses to read, can’tÌýhear as well as we used to, and may not be able to discern objects at a distance as well as we once did.
Like other older people, people with dementia experience these functional declines, along with a gradualÌýdecline in cognitive ability. However, they still have personal interests, can communicate and socialiseÌýand can suffer loneliness and depression if socially isolated. Carers of people with dementia, often theirÌýpartner or adult child, also need support and understanding within their local communities.
To better support people with dementia and their carers, it is vital for our community to understand whatÌýit means to create dementia friendly environments and communities. For example, businesses, employersÌýand organisations can provide services tailored to the needs of people with dementia, and their carers.
Having staff who understand dementia and know how to communicate with people with dementia,Ìýemployers allowing flexible arrangements for carers of people with dementia, organisations creatingÌývolunteering opportunities for people with dementia or welcoming people with dementia to join in theirÌýsocial, learning or sporting activities.
You can learn about dementia friendly environments by referring to Alzheimer’s Australia help sheets atÌýhttps://vic.figthdementia.org.au or at www.enablingenvironments.com.au.
Environments can also be made more dementia friendly with relatively minor adjustments. For example,Ìýusing paint to make doorways, steps and stairs more easily discernible (this also helps the visionÌýimpaired); and making signs for the toilets and lifts bold, easy to read and at eye-level. The DepartmentÌýof Health’s Dementia Friendly Environments guide provides information and tips on changes you canÌýmake to the home environment: http://www.health.vic.gov.au/dementia/
I encourage you to visit the Department of Health and Alzheimer’s Australia websites to find out moreÌýabout dementia, look out for activities in your local area and find out how we can become a moreÌýdementia friendly community.
Yours sincerely
Gerard Mansour
Ìý
Commissioner for Senior Victorians