For almost 15 years, I’ve been campaigning for ALL people with dementia to be advised the symptoms of dementia are acquired disabilities, not only a death sentence, and for all people with dementia to receive rehabilitation, immediately after diagnosis. This is to support, and even improve cognitve and functional abilities, as well as improve our quality of life.
It is also important, as it is a pathway towards ensuring our rights under the United Nations Convention ot the Rights of Persons with Disabilites (UNCRPD) are upheld, including support to remain employed, if younger when diagnosed, or volunteer, and participate in our communities if older when diagnosed.
During a 2-day meeting in Sydney a few years ago, when I campaigned for a full suite of rehabilitation to be included in the Australian National Dementia Clinical Guidelines (beyond support for activities of daily living), I was quite literally yelled at by a clinician and academic, telling me (and therefore his colleagues in the room) that,
- rehabilitation was a waste of time and money for people with dementia
- and I quote, “what would you know anyway, you’re just a person with dementia!”
Three to four years later, this same person was giving lectures in Adelaide on the value of rehabilitation for people with dementia, and also accepting the kudos for such innovative thinking. Frankly, who cares about who gets the credit, just bloody well do it! There are more than 60 million of us who need it, and who have a human right to be provided with rehabilitation and reablement under multiple human rights conventions and treaties, such as the UNCRPD, today!
Disability support, including rehabilitation immediately after diagnosis is the most positive and proactive post diagnostic pathway I know of, to stop the Prescribed Disengagement currently still being handed out to newly diagnosed people with dementia, for people of all ages.
Thankfully the world is catching up…
3rd Global Rehabilitation 2030 meeting and launch of the World Rehabilitation Alliance
I’ve been involved in the development of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation, having been a member of their technical working group to develop them. They are to to be launched at the Global rehab 2030 meeting taking place next week, alongside the launch of the Global Rehabilitation Alliance. If you live in Australia, the time is not accessible, although I plan to be online at 1am, as this work has been so important to me.
The WHO says “Since the Rehabilitation 2030 initiative was launched in 2017, the world has experienced events that have profoundly impacted many lives and shifted health and economic priorities. The COVID-19 pandemic, as well as conflicts and disasters have fuelled a growing awareness of the urgent need to strengthen health systems. Responding to the Rehabilitation 2030 Call for Action is perhaps more important today than it ever has been, and necessitates a strong and united global effort across stakeholder groups, sectors, and professions.
Much has been achieved by the rehabilitation community in the last 6 years and key opportunities now exist for accelerating the Rehabilitation 2030 agenda and improving access to these services in countries. Notably, a common vision and strong and united global effort across stakeholder groups, sectors, and rehabilitation professions, have culminated in the adoption of the first ever resolution on “Strengthening Rehabilitation in Health Systems” at the Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly.”
Registration to the 3rd Global Rehabilitation 2030 meeting and launch of the World Rehabilitation Alliance
- To virtually attend the 3rd Global Rehabilitation 2030 meeting, click on the following registration Link.
- To virtually attend the launch of the World Rehabilitation Alliance on 11 July 2023, click on the following registration Link.
Note, the Package of Interventions for Rehabilitation will be launched at this meeting.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing joining details. For more information, please contact rehabilitation@who.int
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