UP to 28,000 Tasmanians will be diagnosed with dementia in the next 30 years, warns a leading geriatrician.
Dr David Dunbabin, a clinical leader at the Aged and Rehabilitation Clinical Network, said researchers needed to develop innovative forms of care to avoid future over-crowding in nursing homes.
He said about 7000 Tasmanians now have dementia.
The Tasmanian Dementia Research Network was launched at the Menzies Research Institute yesterday and aims to connect carers, researchers, support groups and government organisations to improve care for the increasing number of dementia suffers.
Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre co-director Professor Andrew Robinson said dementia was likely to become the most significant health problem in the western world.
He said Tasmania was an ideal location for dementia studies because of its stable, ageing population.
"It means we can follow people and access networks over a long period," he said.
He said Tasmania was also a good place to trial programs that could eventually be rolled out nationally.
Prof Robinson said carers were the unsung heroes of dementia treatment.
Stress and high burn-out rates in carers of dementia suffers was well documented.
About 250,000 Australians have dementia, and the figure is expected to jump to 1.1 million by 2020.
Dr Dunbabin said the Tasmanian Dementia Research Network would allow researchers to connect with people at the "coalface" of dementia care, and carers' observations would contribute to ongoing studies.
The Wicking centre received a $5000 grant from the University of Tasmania Community Engagement Grant scheme to facilitate meetings for the new research network.
SOURCE: The Mercury
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