The unintended impact of isolation and discrimination for people living with Dementia

The experience of living in self-isolation during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been challenging and insightful for many Australians. It’s an experience we can all learn from.

In late May, Dementia Australia launched a new campaign urging Australians to help ‘keep the world open’ for people living with dementia — not just during the coronavirus pandemic, but every day.

Dementia is the second leading cause of death in Australia and the leading cause of death of Australian women. There are an estimated 459,000 Australians living with dementia and this number is projected to reach almost 1.1 million by 2058.

For most of us, once the COVID-19 crisis has passed, we will be able to reconnect with family and friends and get back to normal routines. For people living with dementia, living in isolation can be a reality every day — even under normal circumstances.

At this Melbourne Forum Zoom event Dementia Australia Chief Executive Officer Maree McCabe will discuss the unintended consequences of the impact of isolation and discrimination on people living with dementia.

She will explain how Dementia Australia’s ‘Keep The World Open’ campaign is raising awareness to tackle this, changing the way we as a society think about dementia and how we respond to the people impacted.