National Dementia Action Plan delivers long-term outlook

The National Dementia Action Plan has been released, and the document features eight high-level actions to increase dementia awareness, reduce the population’s risk of dementia and improve service coordination. 

Key details

• The Plan is the result of extensive research, planning and consultation with people living with dementia, their families and carers, aged care workers and providers, advocates and peak bodies
• It will be delivered in partnership with Australian, state and territory governments to provide a 10-year vision for dementia care and support
• The Plan will guide actions by governments to better integrate policies, services and systems, engage and involve the whole community, improve services and systems, and measure progress against the actions 
• It will be implemented through three Collective Priority Frameworks, the first to be released in mid-2025. Each will run for three to four years and set key focus areas for governments. 

Dementia Australia welcomed the National Dementia Action Plan’s release. CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan labelled it vital to ensure more than 421,000 Australians living with dementia, their families and carers can access the best care and support.

“The National Dementia Action Plan provides a clear vision for the future, where all Australians understand dementia and all people living with all forms of dementia and their carers have quality of life,” Professor Buchanan said.

“This means there will be a greater focus on the impacts of dementia and availability of services now and how we can improve the experience of diagnosis, support and care for people with concerns about dementia, living with dementia and their families and carers in the future.”

The Department of Health and Aged Care’s summary said the actions included in the Plan will ‘work to make Australia a country where people living with dementia are valued, have autonomy, feel supported and are able to participate and remain connected within their community’.

The eight actions are:

1. Promote equity and human rights
2. Tackle stigma, improve awareness and promote inclusivity
3. Empower individuals and communities to minimise risk where they can, and delay onset and progression
4. Improve dementia diagnosis and post-diagnostic care and support
5. Improve treatment, coordination and support for people living with dementia
6. Support carers of people living with dementia
7. Build capability of the workforce to care for and support people living with dementia
8. Improve dementia data, maximise the impact of dementia research and promote innovation

Each action is accompanied by an outcomes statement for people living with dementia, an outline of how the government plans to make a difference, the current state of play for the issue and the challenges that need to be addressed. 

For example, the outcome statement for Action 5 reads: 

“I have hope and access to necessary supports to live as well as possible with dementia, even as my abilities and needs change. I have support to make, communicate and participate in decisions regarding the services I receive.”

The government then lists nine ways it plans to make a difference, including by supporting aged, disability and healthcare providers in residential care and community settings to better understand and respond appropriately to the needs of people living with dementia.

Other goals include improving services for people with more complex symptoms of dementia, improving interfaces and information sharing between care providers and promoting culturally appropriate palliative care options. 

Key success factors listed include improved coordination of care and hospital/transition experiences, a decreased number of people experiencing the use of inappropriate restrictive practices and more people from diverse backgrounds accessing suitable dementia services and supports.

The exact steps and processes required to achieve the outcomes will be revealed in three collective priority frameworks. The first is slated for a mid-2025 release. Meanwhile, progress will be tracked and reported annually through an online indicators dashboard and annual reports. 

Professor Buchanan said Dementia Australia will work alongside the government and aged care sector to ensure the Plan’s goals are achieved. 

“Dementia Australia is committed to working with the Government and across the sector on the delivery of the Action Plan and to ensure we have the right systems in place for all Australians impacted to be able to access appropriate services and more treatments as they become available,” she said. 

“Dementia Australia will continue our vital work in supporting people living with dementia, their families and carers, tackling the stigma and discrimination that can have such an impact, increasing brain health awareness, supporting the aged care workforce and all healthcare professionals to provide quality dementia care.”

More information about the National Dementia Action Plan can be found here.