Synopsis from Wikipedia: “Dopesick focuses on “the epicenter of America’s struggle with opioid addiction” across the U.S. on how individuals and families are affected by it, on the alleged conflicts of interest involving Purdue Pharma and various government agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration and the United States Department of Justice, and finally, on the legal case against Purdue Pharma and…
For many years, I have campaigned against the use of the harmful label, BPSD (Behavioural and Psycholoical Symptoms of Dementia), as believe strongly it was/is labelling normal human responses to issues such as a difficult diagnosis, and the multiple, ongoing violations of rights experienced by people with dementia once diagnosed,including death, as well as more…
Author: Kate Swaffer © 2026 Despite decades of research, and public awareness efforts — including the widespread proliferation of the non-inclusive dementia-friendly campaigns— people diagnosed with a dementia continue to experience pervasive issues including stigma, structural discrimination, and social exclusion. These outcomes persist not because of a lack of awareness per se. They persist primarily because…
Following the free Dementia Rehabilitiation e-Course I was involved ih developing, now being hosted by Dementia Training Australia, it is great to share another step towards supporting people with dementia to remain active and engaged in their (our) communities. It is even more important to people with dementia and their care partners and families who…
I’m pleased to share that the Dementia Justice website, which had to be closed down in October, is now being hosted with its own page on my personal website. This research project is the one of two which I am currently the most proud to have been involved in, as well as working alongside Professor…
Over the years, I’ve been a vocal campaigner to ban the paradigm known as the Behavioural and Psyhcological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD). This harmful labelling of normal human responses to a diagnosis of dementia, or to poor care, harm and neglect, was developed with funding from J&J who has had many legal challenges over misleading…
Introduction to Dementia Rehabilitation: This free course aims to raise awareness, change attitudes, and present evidence for the need and provision of rehabilitation as part of post diagnostic care for all people with dementia and their care partners. It is suitable for a mixed audience, including health care professionals, peopel living with dementia, care partners…
Doctored: Fraud, Arrogance and Tragedy in the Quest to Cure Alzheimer’s by Charles Miller, published by Icon Books, Feb 2025. About The Book: An Economist Best Book of 2025 So Far “For readers of Empire of Pain and Dopesick, a “gripping story of medical groupthink and warped incentives” (The Economist) that follows how Alzheimer’s disease treatment has been set back by…
As a member of the Australian OPCAT network, I’m sharing this information today. This statement is for individuals with expertise in welfare, law, human rights (particularly First Nations and disability justice), family violence and related fields to show their support. There are separate sector-based joint statements currently in the works for legal advocacy organisations and…
A couple of months ago I met up with Dr Diana Collett, a friend and colleague, and someone I first met as an undergraduate student at the University of South Australia when accessing her services. Since we had connected, she has co-founded an initiative on climate change, called The Climate Coaching Alliance. It is an…
For those who are new to my website or long time readers, todays blog is about a survey which is part of the ADEPT study. It emerged from a group of people keen to improve environmental design to ensure accessibility for ALL people with dementia. Many are members of the Dementia Alliance International Environmental Design Special…
I’m sharing some exciting news about the next chapter in the life of the Dignity Manifesto of Design for People Living with Dementia. Since its inception, the Manifesto has sought to set out clear values and design principles that uphold the dignity, autonomy, and wellbeing of people living with dementia. It grew from the foundations…
Maybe our whole life is an illusion, but seriously, people with dementia are definitely still not being equitably included. This is a message I received some time ago from a friend from Singapore: “Thanks, Kate for sharing this powerful quote of Saul Alinsky. This is so real and happening when it comes to people living…
Image source: https://www.monash.edu/medicine/national-centre-for-healthy-ageing/living-labs/Improving-access-to-rehabilitation-for-people-with-dementia The right to rehabilitation of everyone, including people with dementia is one of my pet topics, and anyone who’s followed me here for a while will know I’ve been writing about and campaigning for dementia to be supported as a condition causing disabilities, and for proactive rehabilitation immediately after diagnosis for all…
Dementia is not in itself a disability, but reframing the symptoms of dementia as disabilities aligns directly with a rights-based approach under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), rather than just treating them as biomedical “deficits”. This graphic provides a visual example of some of the disabilities people acquire as a result of…
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