The real price of a diagnosis of dementia is endemic and systemic DISCRIMINATION, caused by IGNORANCE and STIGMA. In every area, people with dementia are being denied the right to contribute. People with dementia are being discriminated against, and their rights are being violated by the very people who claim to be working for us. Exclusion from the areas that impact people with dementia the most is blatant discrimination. On reviewing The Discrimination Act 1992, the Disability Standards clearly state it is “unlawful … to discriminate against another person on the grounds of a disability of the other person.”, (p 30) Opportunities to represent, participate and properly engage in areas such as policy, education and service provision are not being offered to people with dementia. If we are asked to present, there is  rarely any compensation made for having a disAbility, and therefore even the possibility of wavering from perfect is seen as a reason to exclude you.  In every way, the major stakeholders in areas such as policy, service provision and education are the people living with a diagnosis of dementia. If we were disAbled with something like vision impairment, or were in wheelchairs, no-one would exclude us, and it would be seen as unlawful if they did. When the Honourable Kelly Vincent was elected into Parliament, Parliament House had to implement wheelchair ramps and other aids to assist her in her role. She was not excluded because she was disAbled. To have done so would have been unlawful. Today I am full throttle on researching discrimination relating to a diagnosis of dementia and this blog is merely the start of things to come! Watch this space…