Material on the dementia incidence and prevalence in the general population, and its service impact for general practice, hospitals, Aged Care Assessments, community care and residential care is presented in the report The impact of dementia on the health and aged care systems. While the focus of this publication is primarily on the impact of dementia on the health care system. material on prevalence and service use forms the basis of this analysis.
Information on a formal diagnosis of dementia is not collected by the Home and Community Care data collection nor by the administrative data collections used to produce the annual statistics for CACPs or residential aged care, although information derived from patients' appraisals has been used to derive a proxy dementia index for residential care. Data on the formal diagnosis of dementia in care recipients were collected in the three community care census collections conducted in 2002 (CACP, EACH and DTC) and during ACAT assessments. Data on dementia in general practice are obtained from the BEACH survey data, and from primary and secondary diagnosis in the national morbidity data collection for dementia in hospital patients.
Work in progress:
The Institute is currently carrying out an evaluation of Innovative Pool Pilot projects, which includes dementia care projects, that is, projects designed to address the need for the provision of appropriate high-level care to people with dementia in flexible and innovative ways. The evaluation is expected to be released in late 2005. More information.