The Prince Charles Hospital Chermside Brisbane

Abstract

Alzheimer's Disease and the related dementias have been described as one of the largely unrecognized public health problems that Australia like other overseas countries with ageing populations is likely to face in the future. While our aged, and particularly our very aged population is proportionately small by world standards, over the next 20 years, it will grow quite rapidly and the incidence and prevalence of dementia can be expected to increase correspondingly. In the long term, a treatment or cure for dementia may be developed, but in the foreseeable future, it seems evident that the disease will continue to be managed by social and community care policies which provide the economic, social and emotional care needed by patients and families. This research is based on in-depth interviews with a sample of informal carers (N-91) domiciled in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland. The paper examines the cost of care in Australia for those suffering from a progressive dementia and presents data on carers' health and quality of life. The relevant areas of government social welfare policy which set the context for dementia care are discussed. Comparisons are made between the income maintenance support services available to carers in Australia versus those available in the UK and in Scandinavian countries.

Keywords

Dementia, Caregiving, Health education, Income support

Contact

Cahill Suzanne

Institution

The Prince Charles Hospital Chermside Brisbane

Postaddress

Rode Rd, Chermside, Brisbane, Queensland Australia

Postcode

4032

City

Brisbane, Queensland

Country

Australia

E-mail

Cahills@health.gov.qld.au

Phone

+ 07 33508101

Fax

+ 07 33508922