MORE than 30 people met at the Braidwood Servicemen’s Club on World Alzheimer’s Day for a dementia forum.
Alzheimer’s Australia NSW hosted the September 21 Q&A session, compered by dementia advisor Libby Smith.
A panel assembled to competently provide information and answer questions in their area of expertise.
The panel included: pharmacist Bente Hart, who spoke about medications, prescriptions, use and reviews; registered nurse and dementia advisor with Alzheimer’s Australia NSW, Jane Bushell, who spoke about the importance of brain health through diet, exercise and socialising; and Dianna Evans, a carer for her father’s vascular dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, who spoke about the changes observed in her father before a firm diagnosis.
It is estimated more than 353,800 Australians have dementia, including three in 10 over the age of 85, and almost one in 10 people over 65. An estimated 1.2 million Australians care for someone with dementia.
Special thanks to Braidwood Servicemen’s Club and to Braidwood Community Bank for donating the lunch.
As a follow-up, a lunch and chat group will be held monthly in Braidwood. This is for people living with dementia or who have concerns about their memory, their carers, family members and interested community members.
The group will meet on Tuesday, October 18 at the Braidwood Servicemen’s Club in the Chinese restaurant between noon and 2pm. Call Libby Smith on 6241 0881 or the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500.
