With Indigenous Australians up to five times more likely to be diagnosed with dementia than non-Indigenous people, a health service provider has set out to help Tingha tackle this tricky topic.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A free Dementia and Our Mob talk and light lunch will be held at the Tingha Town Hall next week, where indigenous people make up a quarter of the town's population.
HealthWISE senior primary health care nurse Fiona Robertson says the disorder is nothing to fear, and that the entire community can have a role in making life easier for sufferers.
READ MORE:
"I think people would be surprised how many people Australia-wide are getting diagnosed younger and younger," Fiona said.
Fiona said she would help simplify the complicated topic in a talk designed for people living with dementia, family members and carers. The focus will be on preventing the onset of dementia and how to keep our brains healthy.
She said attendees don't have to have dementia or even know someone with the condition in order to benefit from the free event.
By knowing how to help and understanding the challenges they face, you can make people living with dementia feel accepted and safe, Fiona said.
HealthWISE Aboriginal health worker Geraldine Campbell said she hopes to see many of Tingha's young people come along.
She said the tight knit community has been affected by dementia in the past, and that health issues can have a wide impact in towns like Tingha.
An estimated 447,000 people have dementia in Australia. This number is projected to reach almost 1.1 million by 2058.
- The free Dementia and Our Mob talk and light lunch will be held at the Tingha Town Hall on Wednesday, July 31 from 11am-1.30pm. To learn more about the event, call Geraldine on 0427 406 370.
