Alzheimer’s Australia

1. Alzheimer’s Australia 24th Conference of Alzheimer's Disease International 2009 Dr Peter Baume AC

2. Alzheimer’s Australia National and its state branches • Alzheimer’s Australia is a national consumer health organisation and peak body representing people living with dementia, their families and carers • Alzheimer’s is a federated system consisting of a National office based in Canberra and state branches based in the capital cities of each Australian state and territories. • This federated structure mirrors the structure of Australia’s political system with a Commonwealth Government based in Canberra and each state and territory with its own state government

4. Alzheimer’s Australia National and its state branches • The federated structure offers advantages and disadvantages. • Advantage - individual branches can respond to the needs and political structure of each State • Disadvantage - can create a cumbersome decision - making processes between states and National • Each State branch is highly independent and unique but all cooperate and liaise with the National office, which acts as the peak consultative body on Commonwealth issues related to dementia • Each State has varying levels of consultation and cooperation with its State government .e.g. South Australia and its government work hand in hand on both the development and delivery of priority actions under the South Australian Dementia Action Plan. In Queensland there is not one, by several regional Alzheimer’s organisations, which makes consultation with the government more difficult.

5. The Australian National Dementia Initiative • Australia was the first country in the world to make dementia a National Health Priority • In 2005 the Australian Government committed $320 million to tackling new projects around prevention, treatment and care for people with dementia and their carers, demonstrating the Commonwealth’s commitment to dementia as a health priority • The Australian Government recently reaffirmed its commitment to people with dementia, their carers and families by announcing that the Dementia Initiative would be funded beyond 2009

6. The Australian National Dementia Initiative • Ensuring the Government maintains that commitment is an ongoing process of negotiation • The National and state Alzheimer’s Association’s are funded from the National Dementia Initiative. From this funding Alzheimer’s delivers core programs such as • Living with Memory Loss Program • Mind Your Mind • National Dementia Helpline and counselling services • Various research programs are also funded under the national Dementia Initiative

7. COAG considering sweeping reforms to service delivery • COAG is considering restructuring the funding and delivery of aged care, health and disability services • The cost of those services is predicted to increase dramatically as the population ages • Reform has been prompted by a need to streamline services and contain costs

8. COAG considering sweeping reforms to service delivery • COAG is considering shifting the funding and direct responsibility of health and aged care to commonwealth, rather than the current split between state and federal jurisdictions • A recent Commonwealth Government National Hospital and Health Care Commission Inquiry also recommended radical structural changes to the system with more central control shifted to the Commonwealth • These changes, if implemented, will have a dramatic affect on the delivery of dementia services throughout Australia by achieving better coordination and funding of services

9. Alzheimer’s Australia role as a peak body • Alzheimer’s seeks to play a central role in dementia policy and planning in partnership with both commonwealth and state and territory governments • People living with dementia play a central role in policy development, however the role of consumers differs from state to state • Alzheimer’s is in constant dialogue with its consumers in order to ensure that both policy and services reflect the needs of people living with dementia, their families and carers

10. Alzheimer’s Australia role as a peak body • In NSW, consumers are consulted widely through a number of regional consumer committees that meet regularly to advise Alzheimer’s Australia NSW on dementia policy and practice and issues of concern

11. Thank you Any questions?