3 days Ago By Damon Cronshaw
The rise of dementia cases in the Hunter has triggered a new treatment program, amid pressure on hospitals and people being "left to fend for themselves". Login or signup to continue reading The University of Newcastle is trialling a new program to help improve the treatment of people with dementia, which has been under rising scrutiny. Dementia is the leading cause of death for women in the Hunter's health network, which includes New England and Central Coast.
The disease took the lives of 3407 women from 2019 to 2023 in this network. More than 1950 men also died from the brain disorder over this period. Dementia Australia has warned the disease will become the nation's leading cause of death.
Almost 13,000 people in the Hunter have dementia. This is estimated to rise to more than 22,500 by 2054. This rise - along with deficiencies in the hospital and aged-care systems - has prompted calls for change to better treat affected people.
The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) lists older people with dementia as a priority area for research. University of Newcastle Professor Mariko Carey's research aims to improve the lives of people with dementia, with $1.7 million in funding from the MRFF.
"In the last couple of years there's been a lot of research focused on dementia," Professor Carey said. In a randomised controlled trial, a nurse care co-ordinator will help people with dementia and their carers. "This could be general health and support related to getting older, as people with dementia might have other health problems as well," Professor Carey said.
"It's looking at the whole person." The nurse care co-ordinator, based at Hunter Primary Care, goes to affected people's homes and makes a plan with them. "When people get a dementia diagnosis, there can be a vacuum," Professor Carey said.
"Nothing much is offered because it's a progressive condition and not curable. Often people get left to fend for themselves. "This program is about being more proactive and identifying what might help their quality of life.
" One aim is to keep people out of hospital. "We'll look at whether the program increases the number of days people live well and healthy at home," she said. Another aim is to delay the transition into residential aged care.
The program is seeking more people to take part. "People who have been through the program have given us positive feedback," she said. Dementia is the leading cause of death in Lake Macquarie, which ranks fifth in the state with 995 deaths from 2019 to 2023.
This included 390 males and 605 females. The top four affected areas were Central Coast (1785), Sutherland (1210), Northern Beaches (1146) and Canterbury-Bankstown (1048). Dementia Australia CEO Tanya Buchanan said this month "dementia cannot be ignored during this election".
"The situation is already critical with our hospitals, acute care and aged-care systems all unable to meet demand," she said. NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said last month that aged-care and NDIS patients were "stuck in our hospitals, where they shouldn't really be". He said this problem would "continue to grow unless we see changes in aged care and NDIS provision".
To be part of the university program, call 1800-271-103 or email [email protected].
Health and medicine, science, research, nutrition. Email: [email protected].
au Health and medicine, science, research, nutrition. Email: [email protected].
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