The simple act of cooking a casserole for a neighbour living with dementia gets a tick of approval from Kath Readford OAM.
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The 27-year dementia counsellor with Catholic Healthcare in Dubbo is asking the community to help "keep them at home and their carers functioning".
Mrs Readford, who received her OAM for services to dementia in 2010, wholeheartedly agrees "a little support makes a lot of difference", the theme of this Dementia Action Week.
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She believes "most people" in Dubbo and district would know somebody who has dementia.
"We can't cure the disease but there are many things we can do to engage the person and offer support," Mrs Readford said.
We can't cure the disease but there are many things we can do to engage the person and offer support.
- Catholic Healthcare dementia counsellor Kath Readford
The dementia counsellor offered suggestions including taking a casserole next door.
"..maybe they could offer to come in and sit with them for an hour or two while the carer goes out for a break," she said.
"Offer some conversation to help keep them stimulated.
Don't ignore them. Treating them with dignity, it's really important."
Mrs Readford is keen to see more cafes and businesses become "dementia-friendly".
"We have a friendship group in Dubbo that meets at a cafe that is particularly helpful," she said.
"They understand that the people coming have dementia.
"We can have a social outing and be well supported."
Mrs Readford would also like the community to reach out to people who appear "lost".
An elderly man holding his car keys caught her eye recently.
"He knew where his car was, so he said," said Mrs Readford who waited as he "purposely" set off.
Mrs Readford and her colleague Monique Edwards support 130 clients in the wider Orana region through counselling, advice and advocacy.
Half of them are living with dementia and the other half are carers and families.
The almost half a million people living with dementia in Australia is expected to double in the next 25 years.
Dementia Australia warns many Australians will start to feel its impact on their families and friends.
Dementia is the second leading cause of death across all Australians.
For more information and advice visit www.dementia.org.au.
