Alzheimer's Fact Sheet 2007
Who Is Impacted by Alzheimer's Disease?
1. In 2008, there are currently 227,300 people with dementia, with the number
expected to be 731,000 by 2050 unless there is a medical breakthrough.(Alzheimer’s Australia 2008)
2.Although dementia is not a natural part of ageing, the risk of dementia increases with age. (Alzheimer’s Australia 2008)
3. 1 in 4 people over the age of 85 is likely to have dementia. (Alzheimer’s Australia 2008)
4.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for up to 70% of all dementia’s diagnosed; the second most common is Vascular Dementia. (Alzheimer’s Australia 2008)
5. By 2016 dementia is expected to be the largest disability burden (a concept that embraces both mortality and disability) for women in Australia. (Alzheimer’s Australia 2008)
6. In 2002 the total financial cost of dementia in Australia was $6.6 billion.(Alzheimer’s Australia 2008)
(Source: Alzheimers Australia 2008)
Who Provides Alzheimer's Care?
1. About half of those with moderate to severe dementia live in their own homes or in the home of their carer. (Alzheimer’s Australia 2008)
2.In 2004 nearly 1 million Australians were caring for a family member or friend. (Alzheimer’s Australia 2008)
3.Family carers provide 80% of the value of informal care without compensation. (Alzheimer’s Australia 2008)
4. In Australia over 71% of primary carers are women with an average age of 60 years. (ABS Survey on Disability. Ageing and Carers 2003)
5. 45% of primary carers provide 40 hours or more care each week. (ABS Survey on Disability. Ageing and Carers 2003)
Who Needs Help?
Lack of sleep negatively impacts on the quality of the life of a primary carer. Only about 56% of carers are able to participate in the workforce ie they are employed or actively looking for work, due to the care they provide. 30% of carers feel that caring adversely affects their well being.
Nearly 75% of primary carers experience some form of physical or emotional affect from providing care, this includes lack of energy, worry and depression.10% of primary carers have a stress related illness. (Source: Access Economics report “ The economic value of informal care”. 2005)
Specialized Non-Medical Alzheimer's Care
Home Instead Senior Care is a leader in providing training opportunities for its CAREGivers in Australia with a specialised non-medical Dementia Training Program. In 2007 the company collaborated with Alzheimer’s Australia (Qld) to create this unique programme. The training is designed to give Home Instead CAREGivers a greater understanding of dementia and its associated behaviours thus enabling them to meet clients needs in a more effective and empathetic way. It offers education and practical suggestions, by way of case studies and scenarios, to acknowledge the diversity of dementia and how every situation and every client is different.
Who Can Help?
- Home Instead Senior Care is a world leader in non-medical senior care. Founded in 1994, it has grown into a network of more than 800 independently owned and operated offices across the United States, Canada, Japan, Portugal, Australia, Ireland, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Spain, Taiwan, Switzerland and Germany.
- Home Instead Senior Care operates offices throughout Australia.
- Services offered include companionship, personal assistance, medication reminders, light housekeeping, meal preparation and shopping. These services can be tailored to ensure that individual client needs can be met.
- Our services are available from a minimum of two hours per visit up to 24 hours a day seven days a week, including public holidays. This can be a short or long term arrangement.
- All Home Instead CAREGivers are thoroughly screened, including a National Police Certificate, prior to employment and are also fully insured and trained by us.
- Apart from our exclusive Dementia Training Program all our CAREGivers undertake an on-going education program which covers all aspects of non-medical senior home care including issues of safety.
