Social isolation is a major issue for Australians with dementia, according to the first national survey of people with the condition.
Released today, Alzheimer’s Australia’s report – Living with dementia in the community: challenges and opportunities – found that of the 188 people surveyed, 59 per cent thought people avoided spending time with them because of their dementia diagnosis or were unsure if that was the case while 41 per cent of those surveyed wished they had more social contact with people in the community.
It also identified a range of barriers which prevented those with dementia from engaging with the community more and going out and doing things they enjoyed, finding that 57 per cent of respondants said they were afraid of becoming lost when out, 48 per cent said they had difficulty communicating with staff in stores, and 25 per cent said people seemed to feel uneasy because of their diagnosis.
The report said that among the priorities identified by people with dementia to create dementia-friendly communities were the need to increase awareness and understanding about dementia in the community, improving access to social activities and opportunities for engagement, access to health and care services so they can live at home as long as possible, and improved physical environments including appropriate signage, lighting and colours.
More than 332,000 Australians live with dementia, a figure which the report says is expected to increase to almost 900,000 by 2050. As many as 1.2 million Australians are involved in caring for people with dementia, about 70 per cent of whom live in the community. Of those who do live in the community, about 46,200 – or 20 per cent – live alone.
For a full copy of the report, click here.
