Dementia knowledge still lagging
A new report from Alzheimer’s Australia and Ipsos shows there remains poor community understanding about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease despite increasing exposure to the illnesses.
Above: Alzheimer’s Australia NSW CEO, the Hon John Watkins
A new report shows that while increasing numbers of Australians are exposed to a family member or friend affected by dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, understanding about these illnesses remains patchy at best, while myths and misconceptions abound.
A report commissioned by Alzheimer’s Australia NSW and released today, suggests there is still a long way to go in educating members of the community about the nature and impact of an illness that is projected to affect around 1.13 million Australians by 2050.
The study, which was conducted by global research company Ipsos, entitled Perceptions and Understanding of Dementia, found that at least sixty per cent of Australian adults have had a family member or close friend affected by dementia or Alzheimer’s disease and one in ten people have helped to support, look after or care for a family member or close friend with dementia.
At the same time, however, seven in ten adult Australians agree they know ‘very little’ about dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, 50 per cent say they would rather not think about the subject, and a quarter of all Australians say they find Alzheimer’s disease and dementia ‘frightening’.
According to the report, almost half of all adults do not realise that dementia is fatal. And although dementia is not ‘a normal part of ageing’, more than a quarter of Australians believe it is.
Against this backdrop, it is perhaps not surprising that a very high number of adults in this country – about 80 per cent – say they want to know more about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Research partnership
The research, carried out by Ipsos in December 2012 among more than 1,000 Australian adults, is the first initiative of a new three-year sponsorship and fundraising partnership which Ipsos has just signed with Alzheimer’s Australia’s state and territory offices.
The CEO of Alzheimer’s Australia NSW, The Hon John Watkins, said he was delighted by the long-term commitment from Ipsos Australia to help people living with dementia, their carers and families.
“There are more than 321,000 Australians living with dementia, which is set to increase by almost one-third to 400,000 in less than 10 years,” Mr Watkins said.
He said the kind of support offered by Ipsos Australia was important for the organisation to continue to provide vital support to the increasing numbers of people living with dementia and their families and carers.
Ipsos Australia CEO, Hugh Amoyal, said the report provides an important insight into Australian attitudes to dementia-related illness that affects millions of Australians either directly or indirectly.
“The fact that so many people in Australia are impacted is one of the main reasons Ipsos has chosen to partner with Alzheimer’s Australia.
“Ipsos is delighted to be associated with such an outstanding organisation, and are looking forward to making a genuine difference in the lives of all Australians affected by dementia, both people with dementia and their families and carers,” Amoyal said.
Under the three-year partnership, Ipsos will develop a calendar of fundraising activities that will help raise awareness of the disease and of Alzheimer’s Australia’s work in tackling the disease and supporting Australians affected by it.
All Ipsos staff will be dedicating two full days paid leave to volunteer and help raise funds for Alzheimer’s Australia state and territory offices.
Well done to Alzheimer’s Australia and particularly a big thank you to Ipsos for such an outstanding corporate social responsibility initiative.
The simple start would be to educate the general public on the disease and the impact on ageing populations. Then we would see the families providing the information and clear validations to Gps so that an early diagnoisis can be closer.Planning for living with the disease can be achieved. Overall costs can be reduced.