That’s a number that surprised me. More than 2.1 million Australians are currently either living with dementia or involved in caring for someone who is. That’s roughly one person in every thirteen. And even that doesn’t tell the whole story. It doesn’t count the son who lives interstate and watches his mother deteriorate every time he visits. It doesn’t count the daughter who isn’t officially her father’s “carer”, but spends every phone call wondering whether he’s getting worse. It doesn’t count the grandchildren. Or the friends. Or those of us who watched it happen years ago and still think about it whenever we walk into a room and can’t remember why. By the age of 85, almost 3 in every 10 Australians are estimated to be living with dementia. Which means mental decline isn’t some unusual tragedy that happens to somebody else’s family. For millions of us, it’s already personal. And that figure is relevant to every person. If that concerns you, as it does me, you can find out what I’ve been doing about it. Regards, |
