People with dementia face social isolation
During Dementia Awareness Month, which has run throughout September, Alzheimer’s Australia called for greater awareness and understanding of dementia so people living with the condition feel less isolated and alone.
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There are more than 353,000 Australians with dementia and an estimated 1.2 million people involved in the care of someone with dementia. In the Monaro electorate there are an estimated 900 people living with dementia. That figure is projected to increase to about 3,050 by 2050.
A survey just released by Alzheimer’s Australia has found that people with dementia are almost twice as likely to have high rates of loneliness, and people with dementia and carers are significantly more lonely than the general population.
We hear repeatedly that when someone is diagnosed with dementia, friendships and some family relationships suddenly disappear because people simply don’t know how to interact with their friend or loved one with dementia.
Treating people with the same respect, kindness, inclusiveness and thoughtfulness you always have is what makes a difference to them.
They are still the same person they were before the diagnosis. They just may need a little bit more time, understanding and support.
The Hon. John Watkins AM, Alzheimer's Australia NSW CEO and Professor Henry Brodaty AO, Scientia Professor of Ageing and Mental Health and UNSW Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing co director
Children in Riverside Plaza
A few days ago I saw a rare event in Riverside Plaza on the indoor play gym.
A young mother spoke sternly to her child to stop it from shrieking, screeching and screaming.
In spite of frequenting this venue on a semi-regular basis, I have never seen this happen before.
I felt like giving her a medal and was also certain that other patrons of the food court felt the same.
Kevin Chamberlain, Queanbeyan
NBN machinations
You might as well be whistling jigs to a milestone as suggesting rural residents will ever receive anything but second-rate digital connectivity (Poor digital connectivity, QA, 13 September, p.4).
When, in 2009, Prime Minister Rudd announced the infrastructure project of a century, to provide a national broadband network, with fibre to the premises, Australia was a me-too embracer of this technology, as countries, many of which much less affluent already had systems up and running.
A glance at the world of broadband shows few countries un-serviced, except for great swathes of the Sahara!
Like all great project concepts, the political announcement preceded planning and financial considerations. Yet it was warmly welcomed by consumers of information technology, who were capable of assessing its "nation building" potential. Abbott's adversarial politics took a sledgehammer to the NBN proposal, and in office had Minister for Communications Turnbull set about bastardising the project by laying fibre to the node, retaining copper to the premises and creating a multi-technology mix of wireless and satellite with the avowed aim of reducing cost and increasing speed of rollout.
This "mix" suited great conurbations, where cabling was already available. However this was where the money was too. Broadband was essential to business, most of which had head-offices in cities. Online gambling wanted it for its speed and, of course, financial traders demanded it for high frequency trading/arbitrage market manipulation. Against these demands "bush" needs for health, education, employment, take a poor second place.
Albert M. White, Queanbeyan