How a dementia navigator network could save NSW $200m
Experts are calling for urgent change after the devastating dementia toll was revealed. Now a $24.5m plan could change everything.
Exclusive
Three of Australia’s leading brain-health advocates are calling for a grassroots approach to supporting those living with dementia that would place specialists directly into the communities that need them the most.
A key ask of news.com.au and The Australian’s Think Again campaign, the $24.5 million proposal by Dementia Australia and Professors Henry Brodaty and Lee-Fay Low for a NSW Dementia Care Navigator Network would allow for support workers to be embedded in all 15 Local Health Districts across the state.
More than 433,000 Australians are living with dementia, with the illness now the nation’s leading cause of death. It is estimated 1.7 million Australians care for someone with dementia.
In NSW, 25,000 people are diagnosed with dementia each year.
The navigators – trained and employed by Dementia Australia – would provide a “consistent point of contact” for 7000 people living with the illness and their carers over four years.
If adopted in NSW, it is hoped the program could be rolled out to other states.
“Two models with varying levels of clinical input would be piloted to compare outcomes and inform future service design,” the submission states.
“Diagnostic clinics usually provide generic advice and resources about services, however people with dementia and carers say they need time to emotionally process the diagnosis before taking on additional information, and that advice tailored to their specific circumstances would be most helpful.
“Barriers to accessing dementia services include lack of knowledge about services and what would be beneficial for a person’s individual needs,” it notes.
Scientia Professor Henry Brodaty from the University of NSW’s Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) – and one of the leading voices of the Think Again campaign alongside Scientia Professor Matthew Kiernan from Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) and Professor Rowena Mobbs – said dementia navigators “would provide significant benefits for people with dementia and for their family an carers”.
“We know that dementia can be a devastating diagnosis to receive and that aged care services can be bewildering to understand and work through,” Prof Brodaty told news.com.au.
“People with dementia and their family members have told us that after receiving a diagnosis, they feel as if they have stepped into a void and do not know how to proceed.
“Yet, there is much that can be done to help people understand and cope with the diagnosis, compensate for their deficits, access best services and lead a positive and productive life for many years,” Prof Brodaty said.
“Navigators have the capacity to reduce emergency department presentations and hospital admissions, delay nursing home admission, reduce carer burden and depression and enable people affected by dementia live more positively. Navigators would be available at time of diagnosis and at critical periods in the path that dementia takes”.
Prof Brodaty said the concept isn’t new with dementia navigators having been adopted in other countries and for other conditions such as breast cancer and diabetes care.
“Cost benefit calculations indicate that funding of dementia navigators would pay for itself in reducing health costs. It seems so obvious a step that we should take,” he said.
Based on similar international models, the proposal notes it is also expected to deliver potential savings of about $200m “in reduced acute system costs, carer burden and delayed entry to residential care”.
Dementia Australia Chief Executive Officer Professor Tanya Buchanan said navigators would offer a “consistent point of contact who can help them connect to important support services that maintain their wellbeing and independence.”
Professor Low, who is a Professor in Ageing and Health at Sydney University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health, said she hoped if adopted in NSW, other states would follow.
“We know that the need is so high everywhere for families to have a navigator who can help them get timely access to information, treatments and supports,” Prof Low told news.com.au.
“Cognitive impairment makes it even harder to navigate both health and aged care systems, so we really need dementia navigation and more holistic rehabilitation for people with dementia too.”
She is also hopeful of Federal Government support.
“The Federal government has funded us to co-design a dementia navigation model, which informed the submission to NSW health,” she said.
“I’m hoping that there might be co-contributions to dementia navigation programs because I think it should be a shared responsibility.”
“There is just nothing out there to support people living with dementia,” Ms Hawe said.
“And now we know it’s the leading cause of death, it’s vital that we support people living with dementia and care navigators are going to be one of the most important things in supporting people.
“They play crucial roles to get the right support and the right time,” she said.
The submission is currently sitting with NSW Health Minister Ryan Park.
“I acknowledge receipt of the Think Again dementia campaign submission,” Minister Park told news.com.au
“I am proud of the work our health system performs in supporting people with dementia, and I acknowledge there’s always more to do, and where improvements can be made, I will always consider them.”
Originally published as How a dementia navigator network could save NSW $200m
Join the conversation
IVF clinic hit with new conditions after bungles
Read more
Beloved restaurateur dies suddenly aged 40
Read more