THE DEMENTIA CRISIS

Recently, interventions led the Commonwealth Department of Health to delay its decision to downgrade funding to the Northern Territory Memory Clinic, thereby reducing staff numbers by 2 full-time nurses. However, it would be dangerous to think of this as a win, because it is not permanent.

The position is that the Commonwealth has been persuaded to delay. It’s a staff reduction in this important service for only 12 months. Thanks to the efforts of those connected with Carers NT, Dementia NT, THE Council Of The Ageing and also the representation through its program by Mix 104.9, this delay eventuated.

It is also correct to say that the Minister for Health in the Northern Territory, Steve Edgington, and his department were very proactive in their persuasion directed at the Commonwealth.

We must not let this matter rest; we must continue to pursue the need to make staff permanent. Indeed, with many – and a growing number of –  people who have dementia in the Northern Territory and the greater reliance by growing numbers on the Memory Clinic, the staff cohort connected with the program needs to be upgraded beyond this present retention. 

I also wonder why it is that the States and Territory Governments are quite happy to throw the responsibility for Dementia in the Northern Territory and the states squarely onto the shoulders of the Commonwealth.

It is not good enough that these state and territory departments can handball the problem to the Commonwealth and say it belongs solely to the Commonwealth.

Australia is declared to have 460,000 people who have Dementia. However, given that the conversations about dementia are always hush-hush and “under the carpet“, it’s highly unlikely that this number is accurate. In truth, it may well be that at least double the number of people in our country are reflected with Dementia as is recorded officially. 

Since my wife became a dementia sufferer, I have quickly gathered an understanding. I’ve just realised how embarrassing and shameful it is. It is for people to discuss this disease openly and objectively. People who have dementia are often reluctant to agree to this in their particular situation. I’ve also discovered that some carers are equally as embarrassed about the fact that they are involved with somebody who has this affliction.

It used to be that cancer sufferers and homophobics had their particular situations discussed in a closed-cabinet way. Now that these issues are out in the open and being dealt with, they are being managed much more effectively and efficiently.

This has to become the norm for dementia and those who are impacted by this affliction. 

It’s time to get Dementia out of the closet and into the open. There is no shame in being a sufferer and no handicap in being a carer. Therefore, we all need to stop acting in this way.

Henry Gray

March 25 2026