There are two major dementia conferences being organised this year which will be of great importance and interest to working carers supporting a person with dementia.

The National Dementia Congress later this month will provide carers and services with the perfect opportunity to discuss important care, policy and funding issues in the area of dementia care.

The conference is timely as the federal government is set to announce the details of their evaluation of the Dementia Initiative – Making Dementia a National Health Priority – in the May 2010 budget.

The number of Australians suffering from dementia is about 245,000. It is predicted to climb to 1.13 million by 2050. Australia is the only country in the world to address the enormous costs associated with this rise, as well as the importance of improved outcomes for dementia sufferers, by making the disease a National Health Priority.

The National Dementia Congress is happening on February 22 and 23 at the Hilton on the Park, Melbourne.

It will feature key contributions from Alzheimer’s Australia and Alzheimer’s Victoria, the Victorian Department of Health, Queensland Health, the SA Department of Ageing and Communities, the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services, Dementia Care Australia, the National Ageing Research Institute, the Victoria Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service, the Australian Centre for Evidence-Based Aged Care, as well as presentations by many of Australia’s leading university researchers and medical professionals on ageing, Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Participants at the congress will learn the latest information from top government decision makers. The conference will also give people the opportunity to delve into the most up-to-date findings on crucial quality of care issues with leading aged care, dementia care and mental health clinicians.

There will be overviews given of the latest findings in the field of dementia and initiatives being undertaken in meeting the care needs of those with dementia.

The stress of caring for someone with dementia is also a topic on the on the agenda as well as successful strategies being used to help support dementia carers.

There will be a session devoted to the international award-winning Spark of Life approach to dementia care – which literally changes the life of people with dementia and their carers. This unique program is said to restore communication, awaken dormant abilities, dissolve challenging behaviours, keep staff members inspired and lift the spirits of everyone involved in the care of a person or people with dementia.

Another session will be on the ‘elephant in the closet’ – the challenges presented to health professionals, carers, staff and family in relation to the concept of sexuality and the issue of sexual behaviour in people with dementia.

Topics such as the impact of younger onset dementia, behavioural and psychological issues, falls prevention, continence care, personal wellbeing, physical activity and exercise, and assessment and management of pain will also be covered.

To register for the conference ring 02 9080 4090 or visit the event website where you will find the full program

http://www.iir.com.au/conferences/healthcare/national-dementia-congress (this official link not working at time of publication, but others can be found by searching for National Dementia Congress )

In June there will be another major dementia conference. HammondCare’s 8th International Conference on Dementia will explore the theme ‘Dementia – do we need a different point of view?’

It will be held on June 15 and 16 at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney.

Conference organisers say that to date, progress that has been made in the provision of care to people with dementia has been patchy: “Pharmacological interventions have been disappointing, psycho-social interventions are essentially the same as they have been for 25 years, person- centred care is in danger of being little more than a slogan and physical environments are no more likely to be designed for people with dementia than they were in the 1990s. Perhaps we need to find a different point of view so that we can see a better way forward?”

The keynote speakers for their 2010 conference have been carefully selected for their ability to challenge conventional wisdom, inspire new ways of looking at issues and suggest practical alternatives that promise better results.

The speakers are coming from every state and territory in Australia, the UK, the USA and Japan. For the first time the conference is being supported by organisations that have international influence, the International Psychogeriatric Association and the Dementia Services Development Centre in the University of Stirling, Scotland. Both of these organisations are providing speakers because they see this conference as an opportunity to share their views with those in Australia who are passionate about making a difference to the lives of people with dementia.

The conference will provide a rich mixture of plenary sessions, opportunities for discussion with the experts, a wide range of concurrent sessions and workshops. Topics range from community care to palliative care, BPSD to biomarkers, humour to negative attitudes. Every session has been organised with the aim of providing delegates with something that they can use in their practice.

For the full program and more information please see www.hammond.com.au or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it