The Dementia Guide
The Dementia Guide is the go-to resource for people living with dementia their carers and family.
The Dementia Guide is the go-to resource for people living with dementia their carers and family. The information in this guide is divided into sections with each section relating to a particular stage of the dementia journey. The guide supports people living with dementia, their carers and family, to understand more about dementia, the treatments, support and services available. The guide also includes information about living well with dementia and making plans for the future.
In it, you can find information about:
- the impact of dementia
- treatment, support and services available
- ways to adapt to change and live well.
Read or listen to The Dementia Guide by section
A message from our CEO Maree McCabe AM
The Dementia Guide introduction with Ita Buttrose AC OBE
Section 2: Understanding your diagnosis
Section 3: Healthcare team and treatments
Section 4: Planning for the future
Section 6: Support for people with dementia
Section 7: Dementia Australia services
Section 9: Later stages of dementia
Section 11: Support and information for carers
Dementia Australia thanks everyone who generously lent their voice to the audiobook version of the Dementia Guide, including Dementia Australia Patron Ita Buttrose AC OBE, Dementia Australia Ambassadors Natarsha Belling, Stephanie Bendixsen, Takaya Honda, Mark Seymour, Denis Walter OAM, Pat Welsh.
We also thank celebrity supporters Rhonda Burchmore OAM and Geraldine Hickey, and Ann Pietsch, who lives with dementia and is a Dementia Advocate and who also lent her voice to this audiobook.
A message from our CEO Maree McCabe AM
The Dementia Guide introduction with Ita Buttrose AC OBE
Dementia Australia Patron Ita Buttrose AC OBE is Chair of the ABC and an Australian journalist, television personality and author. Ita has dedicated many years to dementia advocacy and provides the introduction to the audiobook version of The Dementia Guide.
Download PDF of The Dementia Guide introduction with Ita Buttrose AC OBE( 944 kB)
Section 1: About dementia
What is dementia? Who gets dementia? What causes dementia? How does dementia affect younger people? And how does dementia progress?
Section 2: Understanding your diagnosis
Recognising your feelings, learning more about dementia, and telling people about your diagnosis.
Download PDF of Section 2: Understanding your diagnosis( 982 kB)
Section 3: Healthcare team and treatments
Building your healthcare team, understanding your treatment options, and treating depression and anxiety.
Download PDF of Section 3: Healthcare team and treatments( 1.7 MB)
Section 4: Planning for the future
Driving, working legal matters, financial management, government support and advanced care planning.
Section 5: Living well
Coping with changes, reducing stress, maintaining communication, navigating changed relationships, living at home, travelling safely, and staying healthy and active.
Section 6: Support for people with dementia
My Aged Care, National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), support coordination and other services from Dementia Australia, and local services.
Download PDF of Section 6: Government support for people with dementia( 3.2 MB)
Section 7: Dementia Australia services
Information services, support services, and education services.
Download PDF of Section 7: Dementia Australia services( 1.9 MB)
Section 8: Residential care
Identifying the right time, choosing a residential care facility, understanding fees and costs, getting financial assistance, making the move, managing visits from family and friends, and protecting your quality of care.
Section 10: Checklist
This section offers a checklist of things to help you to live well now and make plans for the future.
Section 11: Support and information for carers
Getting emotional support, getting practical support, looking after your health and wellbeing, supporting a person with dementia, coping with changes in behaviour, and managing grief and bereavement.
Download PDF of Section 11: Support and information for carers( 2.6 MB)
This guide is supported by Lifeview