Dementia Action Week 2024
Monday marked the start of Dementia Action Week (16-22 September). According to Dementia Australia, dementia is now the leading cause of death for women and the second leading cause of death for all Australians, with provisional data suggesting that it will soon be the leading cause of death.
Over the past couple of years Western Victoria Primary Health Network (WVPHN) has worked on creating a lot of dementia resources, from developing information and training for health professionals to producing resources for consumers. In preparation for the week, a couple of weeks ago we released a list of dementia resources that health professionals can use, including:
- Dementia HealthPathways – a list of five up-to-date clinical pathways available to assist GPs.
- Dementia education – links to dementia education and training resources, from assessing for dementia to end-of-life care and planning.
- Quality Improvement resources for practices – a list of resources to help your practice improve its diagnosis and treatment of dementia.
- Dementia resources that can be shared with consumers – Victorian Primary Health Networks have developed some helpful resources that can be shared with people who have been diagnosed with dementia and their carers, including an excellent brochure, Dementia: Resources and support to help you live well. The brochure guides consumers through the process of a dementia diagnosis and has links to helpful resources and services. We’ve also compiled a localised directory of dementia resources and services in western Victoria, which, as far we know, is the only such list for our region.
- Upcoming dementia events for consumers – we’ve also compiled a list of dementia events in our region. Events such as these are great for demystifying what it’s like for people to live with dementia and are often excellent ways for people with dementia and their carers to find a supportive community.
You can find all these resources here.
World Suicide Prevention Day
Tuesday last week was World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD), and the theme for this year’s day was ‘We all have a role in preventing suicide.’ In keeping with this theme, we’ve compiled a list of services that WVPHN has funded or commissioned to support mental health in our region.
- Head to Health – offers free mental health support and warm service navigation to connect people with appropriate levels of care available within their local community. No GP referral is needed. For an initial assessment, visit the Head to Health website or call 1800 595 212 to find the care that best fits your needs. Head to Health has offices in Geelong and Ballarat. Visit our Head to Health webpage for more information.
- Step Thru Care – a WVPHN-commissioned service providing free mental health support, including specialised responses for individuals bereaved by the loss of loved ones. The service is a crucial part of our regional efforts to reduce suicide rates and deliver compassionate care. Contact Step Thru Care to arrange an initial assessment and receive tailored support. Visit our Step Thru Care webpage for more information.
- Headspace – offers services specific for young people, providing mental health support and resources to help navigate challenging times. headspace is dedicated to supporting the mental and emotional wellbeing of young individuals. Young people, or friends and family, can refer themselves to headspace by calling 1800 650 890 or contacting their local headspace. There are headspace offices in Ballarat, Geelong, Colac, Corio, Ocean Grove, Portland, Warrnambool and Horsham. Visit our headspace webpage for more information and the contact details for services in western Victoria.
Craig Wilding, WVPHN CEO
16 September 2024