Giant tumblers, a quick massage and chocolate carved with a chisel made for lots of fun at #IDC2024, but it was the incredible stories and challenging discussions that will remain with us as we return to our own arenas.
Here's a quick recap of who said what during 5-6 September 2024...
After scene-setting remarks from our MC Leigh Sales, both days began with a remarkable experience of First Nations language and culture thanks to the Acknowledgement of Country by Diramu Aboriginal Dance and Didgeridoo.
On each day, significant speeches were then heard from Minister for Aged Care Anika Wells (Day 1) and Shadow Minister Senator Anne Ruston (Day 2) – two key figures in the future of aged care policy and delivery in Australia. Both showed great passion for supporting older Australians and people living with dementia – there were signs of hope for bipartisanship in the task ahead.
Our opening panel, featuring Prof John Swinton, Bill Yeates and Gwenda Darling, gave us direct visibility of the hurt experienced by people living with dementia from negative media portrayals and community stigma.
Dr Tom Russ drew on his depth of global knowledge to give us a precise assessment of current and emerging dementia drug treatments, new forms of diagnosis, and age-sensitive preventative strategies. He described good steps forward with new drug treatments, but said it will take more time to see them ‘in the clinic’, as efficacy and safety continue to improve. He expressed more immediate hope for new, less invasive tests for some dementias, such as Alzheimer’s, through blood biomarkers. And he showed how risk factors for dementia tend to be age-sensitive such as hearing loss in mid-life, and social isolation in later life.
Dr Samir Sinha introduced us to the reworked phrase, 'Ageing in the Right Place', as he described the challenges of residential and home care provision in terms of supply, regulation and quality. He also highlighted the importance of international standardised assessments such as InterRAI. The care provision challenge in Canada is not unlike other western nations with many older people waiting for home or residential care to become available, with the number of close family members providing support reducing by 30% by 2050.
A panel of first responders provided ground-breaking insight into this often controversial issue and allowed the voice of people with lived experience, paramedics, police and healthcare providers to share the stage.
After a busy session of concurrents covering changing behaviours, design, palliative care, diversity, technology and carer perspectives, Dr Nathalie Huitema led us through the sensitive but highly relevant issue of sexual behaviour, consent, rights and privacy in care.
This was followed by an ‘eye-opening’ panel of real life stories and responses, then a bustling networking event for many.
Following an interactive symposium over breakfast on aged care reforms and dementia, it was on to the main program for Day 2, with a shift of focus to expanding understanding and resources in palliative dementia care.
Dr Nathan Davies highlighted the lack of community awareness of dementia, including that it is terminal, and the need to better support patients and care partners with decision making.
This was followed by a moving panel that discussed the interaction of palliative care in a context of voluntary assisted dying, and included expert insights and lived experience contributions. Sarah Mitchell shared about the decision of her mum, Wendy Mitchell, to stop eating 10 days before she died, as VAD was not available. Dr Emma Hodges noted that unavailability of palliative care and misunderstandings of what it offered, were not good reasons for people pursuing VAD.
Our next panel addressed what the household model is and how it can be the future for residential care. Discussions ranged from the new National Aged Care Design Principles and Guidelines, the best size for small household care, through to care models and caring for team members.
The final session for the morning explored being at home with complex dementia and it would be fair to say the centrepoint was the Luke Campbell's story of his family’s journey, following his wife Lisa's dementia diagnosis in 2020. Luke told of the isolation after diagnosis, the continuing challenge of finding appropriate services and the need to reinforce hope for his children.
Another highly anticipated concurrent session covering lived experience, home care innovation, rarer and younger onset dementias, First Nations perspectives, workforce and food culture, was followed by the launch of the Dementia in the Commonwealth Report and a culminating address from conference favourite Prof John Swinton on being present and attentive in life and care.
HammondCare CEO Andrew Thorburn closed out the conference, encouraging delegates to keep their focus on people living with dementia, care partners and the care workforce. He also announced the 30th anniversary year of the biennial International Dementia Conference would proceed in 2026!