Dementia in Australia

Australia was one of the first countries to design comprehensive dementia-specific policy initiatives at a national level, in response to the rising challenges of an expanding and ageing population and advocacy from groups, such as the then Alzheimer’s Association of Australia (Hunter and Doyle 2014).

The first federal dementia policy initiative was launched in 1992 (the National Plan for Dementia Care 1992–1997) and succeeding policy initiatives have cemented dementia as a key priority in the national aged care agenda. Dementia has also been increasingly recognised as a national health priority requiring a focus on preventive strategies, high-quality health and social care, and investments in medical research (Hunter and Doyle 2014; Department of Health, Disability and Ageing 2025a). In 2017, the World Health Organization developed The Global action plan on the public health response to dementia 2017–2025 to encourage a concerted international effort to address the global impacts of dementia. The global action plan was adopted by Australia and other Member States (WHO 2017).

This webpage focuses on:

• the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, including dementia-focused recommendations and the Australian Government’s response to these recommendations.
• the National Dementia Action Plan
• the Aged Care Diversity Framework and Strengthened Quality Standards
• government-funded dementia research.

While this page focuses on the national policy response to dementia by the Australian Government, it is acknowledged that governments at all levels develop and deliver dementia-specific policies and services. State and territory governments also fund (in full or part) essential services such as: memory clinics; geriatric evaluations and aged care visiting services; older adult mental health services; hospital to residential aged care transition services; and support for people experiencing behaviours and psychological symptoms of dementia (Mond 2019).

Some of these essential services also receive Australian Government funding, for example through the Medicare Benefits Schedule or through specific programs and initiatives (for example, the Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service, Severe Behaviour Response Teams and the Specialist Dementia Care Program).

Recent Aged Care funding initiatives can be found on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website.

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety

The Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety (Royal Commission) was set up in 2018 to look into issues related to the quality of residential and in-home aged care. The Royal Commission’s final report, Care, Dignity and Respect, was tabled in the Australian Parliament on 1 March 2021. This report included 148 wide-ranging recommendations for fundamental reform of the aged care system.

The Royal Commission identified four areas in need of immediate attention: food and nutrition; care and support for people living with dementia; elimination and reduction of restrictive practices; and palliative care (Royal Commission 2021).

Other recommendations specific to dementia from the final report are:

• Recommendation 15: establishing a comprehensive, clear and accessible post-diagnosis support pathway for people living with dementia, their carers and families.
• Recommendation 16: reviewing and publicly reporting on whether the number of Specialist Dementia Care Units established or planned to be established is sufficient to address need within the areas and populations they are designed to cover.
• Recommendation 19: reviewing of the Aged Care Quality Standards, including dementia care standards.
• Recommendation 45: improving the design of aged care accommodation, including dementia-friendly design.
• Recommendation 80: implementing mandatory dementia care training for workers engaged in residential aged care and in care at home (Royal Commission 2021).

The Australian Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety

A range of changes are being made to aged care in response to the final report of the Royal Commission. These changes are expected to deliver significant reform in aged care, providing care, dignity and respect to older people.

Dementia-specific changes will support people living with dementia and their carers at every stage from pre-diagnosis through to residential aged care. Together this will ensure people living with dementia are connected with the support they need, are enabled to remain in their home for longer, and able to access high quality, dementia informed aged care services.

Key initiatives include: 

• improved early intervention assistance
• more help to navigate the aged care system
• more staff trained in dementia care
• improved respite experience for people living with dementia
• improvements in capacity and quality of dementia care
• more support for carers to maintain their caring role.

For more information on key dementia initiatives see Our work related to dementia | Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing.

The reforms also include funding to improve dementia data collection and understanding, and to develop the National Aged Care Design Principles and Guidelines. The Principles and Guidelines were introduced in July 2024 to support the design of more home‑like, dementia-friendly environments in residential aged care. 

A more detailed description on the Australian Government’s response to the final report can be found on the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing website.

The National Dementia Action Plan

Released in December 2024, the 10-year National Dementia Action Plan 2024–2034 (the Action Plan), is a joint initiative between the Australian Government and state and territory governments, which sets out 8 high-level actions aimed at improving the lives of people living with dementia and their families and carers, including improved health and wellbeing outcomes.

The 8 actions seek to: 

• Promote equity and human rights 
• Tackle stigma, improve awareness and promote inclusivity 
• Empower individuals and communities to minimise risk where they can, and delay onset and progression 
• Improve dementia diagnosis and post-diagnostic care and support 
• Improve treatment, coordination and support for people living with dementia 
• Support carers of people living with dementia 
• Build capability of the workforce to care for and support people living with dementia 
• Improve dementia data, maximise the impact of dementia research and promote innovation.

The Action Plan was informed by the 2019 review of the National Framework for Action on Dementia 2015–19, and developed with input from key stakeholders, including: the general public, people living with dementia and their carers, dementia experts within and outside government, peak bodies such as Dementia Australia and the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, health and aged care providers and clinicians, and representatives from the Australian and state and territory governments. The Action Plan forms part of the Australian Government’s response to the Royal Commission and contributes to Australia’s international obligations as a member state to the World Health Organization’s Global action plan on the public health response to dementia 2017–2025.

The Aged Care Diversity Framework and Strengthened Quality Standards

In 2017 the Australian Government launched the Aged Care Diversity Framework and associated action plans to address the needs of older people from diverse backgrounds, including those with cognitive impairment and dementia. The Diversity Framework provides a mechanism for government, aged care providers, peak bodies and representative groups, service users, and their families and carers, to ensure diversity is embedded in the design and delivery of aged care services.

In February 2019, four Action Plans designed to address the specific needs and challenges faced by diverse groups in the community were launched under the Aged Care Diversity Framework for:

• First Nations people
• older people from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities
• people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans/transgender, intersex, and other sexuality (including asexual), gender, and bodily diverse people (LGBTIQ+)
• actions common to all diverse older people, in recognition of the many commonalities within and between diverse groups.

These plans assist aged care providers to identify actions they could take to deliver more inclusive and culturally appropriate services for their residents and clients. They acknowledge that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to diversity, and that each aged care provider will be starting from a different place and operating in a different context.

In 2021, the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety recommended the government urgently review the Quality Standards and update them (Royal Commission 2021).  The review included a focus on key areas including dementia, diversity, governance, clinical care and food and nutrition.

The strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards (strengthened Quality Standards) are part of the new Aged Care Act 2024 and have been in place since 1 November 2025 (Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission 2025; Department of Health, Disability and Ageing 2025b). They are a set of requirements for what quality and safe aged care looks like.

The strengthened Quality Standards make sure that the care older people receive:

• is safe and high quality
• meets their needs and preferences
• upholds their rights.

The strengthened Quality Standards have dementia and diversity embedded in them and significantly enhance expectations for the delivery of safe and quality care. They are more detailed and measurable than the previous Quality Standards, which were in place before the start of the new Act.

Dementia research

Australian dementia researchers funded by the Australian Government through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and Medical Research Future Fund have a renowned reputation for producing international-leading work. Australian research has high potential to positively impact people with dementia, particularly when research is collaborative and conducted on a large-scale (Moira Clay Consulting 2020).

Starting in 2014, the government funded a 5-year $200 million dementia research expansion coordinated by the then NHMRC National Institute for Dementia Research (NNIDR) (Mond 2019). While allocation of the funding for the NNIDR concluded in 2019, the NHMRC still offers dedicated dementia-specific research funding opportunities (NHMRC 2020).

The NHMRC support has included establishment of the Australian Dementia Network Registry, Australia’s first dementia clinical quality registry to monitor, report and improve clinical care for people with dementia.

The government also funds a broad range of research and innovation projects on emerging priorities in dementia:

• The Medical Research Future Fund is a $20 billion long-term investment by the government that aims to support health and medical research and innovation. The Dementia, Ageing and Aged Care Mission (the Mission) will invest $185 million over 10 years under the Medical Research Future Fund to improve outcomes for people living with dementia and older people. The Mission will support older people to maintain their health and quality of life as they age, live independently for longer, and access quality care when they need it. 
• Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation Australia is designed to equip the aged care sector with knowledge and skills to implement evidence-based practices and new technologies. They focus on the use of innovation to improve workforce capability, including the use of technology to support care recipients to maintain independence for longer. Funding of $34 million was announced over 4 years, starting in 2021–22. Additional funding of $13 million over two years (until 30 June 2026) was provided as part of the 2024–25 Budget.

There are still persistent gaps in national data that limit monitoring and reporting on dementia in Australia and planning for dementia programs and services. The AIHW National Centre for Monitoring Dementia, located at the AIHW was established in 2021 and is undertaking routine monitoring of dementia in Australia, addressing existing data gaps and informing specific Government policy on the needs for people living with dementia. The National Centre for Monitoring Dementia currently undertakes activities in two main streams:

• Analysis and reporting: including routine monitoring of dementia via the Dementia in Australia report (this report) and special interest or thematic projects that utilise currently available data to address specific policy and research information priorities and dementia data gaps.
• Improving dementia data: including projects to address dementia data gaps or data quality issues.

For more information on current dementia data gaps, and ways in which these gaps can be systematically and strategically addressed, see the National Dementia Data Improvement Plan 2023–2034.