Budget 2020 - Urgent action on dementia needed
We are urging the government to use next year’s Budget to address what is one of the 21st century’s greatest health challenges.
The scale of the problem is vast. It is distressing to watch people struggle so much, and to see the spiralling impacts of that struggle. Urgent action is needed.
Nearly 70,000 people have dementia now and we expect that number to increase to 170,000 by 2050 as New Zealand’s population continues to age. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. For every person diagnosed with dementia there are family, whānau and friends also affected by the diagnosis.
As well as the human impact, there are significant fiscal costs associated with dementia.
The per-person health and social care costs associated with dementia almost match the combined costs of cancer, heart disease and stroke.
Our Recommendations for Budget 2020 focus on initiatives designed to support people living with dementia and their family/whānau care partners to live their best possible lives.
Current services are woefully inadequate and enhancing them would greatly improve the quality of life for people living with dementia, and significantly reduce the adverse impact of dementia on the health system.
These recommendations to government are part of a draft Dementia Plan we have co-authored with other leading representatives in the dementia sector.
The plan will shortly be out for consultation. We hope it will be finalised soon and that government will commit to its implementation to address the country’s looming dementia challenge.
Government has to act and act now. The dementia sector is more than willing to do its share of the heavy lifting, but we desperately need government to take the lead.
Hopefully Budget 2020 will be the vehicle that brings much-needed relief to the tens of thousands of New Zealanders who desperately need it.