Nation's first 'Dementia Friendly' electorate office

22 Jul 2020
Dementia Friendjpg

Posted April 17, 2019

Federal Member for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie and her staff have taken steps to become the first documented 'Dementia Friendly' Federal Electorate Office in the nation.

You can watch her YouTube clip here.

Photograph: Federal Member for Mayo Rebekha Sharkie and her staff, including Jess, Michael, Isobel, Mitchell and Kelly, have taken steps to become the first documented 'Dementia Friendly' Federal Electorate Office in the nation.

The local MP and her team completed the short module provided by Dementia Friendly Communities to increase their understanding about dementia and to learn how to make a difference in the lives of people with dementia.

Dementia refers to a large group of medical conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body disease, which cause a progressive decline in mental and physical functions.

Symptoms include a loss of memory, intellect, rationality and social skills.

“In 2018 where were an estimated 436,366 Australians living with dementia including 3456 people in Mayo,” Rebekha said.

“Nationally the figure will grow to 1.1 million by 2058 and in Mayo the number of sufferers will nearly double to 6279.

“People with dementia account for over 50 per cent of all residents in aged care facilities.

“Learning to recognise dementia and how to respond to and care for people with dementia is an important skill to have and is fairly simple to acquire through Dementia Friendly Communities.

“Everyone in my offices in Mount Barker and Victor Harbor is a ‘Dementia Friend’ and we encourage others to become one as well.

“If you would like to learn more, Dementia Friendly Communities is running an information session in Hahndorf on 22 May 2019.”

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