Media Statement
24 October 2024
The Joint Solutions Project Team is excited to be presenting the outcomes of the Project’s work to date at the 2024 International Congress on Neuropsychiatry being held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 27 – 29 of October.
In a symposium entitled ‘Rare or Rampant? Young onset dementia in Australia’, Associate Professor Samantha Loi will chair the symposium that will examine the results of a national consultation about young onset dementia service provision.
This consultation found that the challenges and difficulties faced by individuals living with young onset dementia include a long diagnostic period, poor coordination of post diagnostic services, challenges in accessing appropriate services via the NDIS and difficulties in accessing behaviour support.
Data derived from this consultation will inform development of a best practice pathway and responsibility of care for wider government implementation.
Panellists
- Dr Monica Cations will discuss the findings of this work which includes that service provision for young onset dementia is complicated, specialist services to this cohort are hard to find and this adds to the burden of living with this complex, heterogeneous range of conditions.
- Dr Nathan D’Cunha will present the results of a systematic review of literature concerning models of care for people living with young onset dementia. This literature can help us understand current and past models of care for young onset dementia and guide us to implementing new systems of care in Australia.
- Dr Clare Beard and Dr Priscilla Tjokrowijoto will discuss the findings of a quantitative survey that was distributed nationally to consumer, clinical and service providers.
Preliminary findings
Preliminary findings of this work reveal a convoluted care system with inconsistent approaches to diagnosis, care and services for people with young onset dementia and their families. Disparities in access to clinical tests, understandings of young onset dementia and limitations in age appropriate service provision compounds a very disjointed experience for consumers.
The symposium will conclude with Dr Bronwyn Morkham facilitating a panel discussion with people with lived experience of young onset dementia considering how this complex condition impacts the individual and their family; and recommendations for how a system of care should respond to people living with young onset dementia and their families.
