Measure 5.6: Improved hospital and transition experiences and outcomes for people living with dementia, such as reduced number of avoidable hospitalisations and decreased inappropriate long term hospital stays
Hospitals provide crucial care for people living with dementia, but hospitalisation can be a disruptive and difficult experience to manage. Many people with dementia also transition between hospital and aged care settings (AIHW 2023). Understanding how people transition between services, reducing avoidable hospitalisations and reducing the length of hospital stays (where appropriate) is a priority of the Action Plan.
The AIHW’s Dementia in Australia reports on the number and type of hospitalisations for people living with dementia. However, these data do not identify avoidable hospitalisations for people living with dementia.
While there are no data currently available to track this measure of progress, data development is underway: linked hospital and aged care data from the National Health Data Hub are being explored as a potential source to inform an indicator.
AIHW (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare) (2023) Transitions to residential aged care after hospital for people living with dementia, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 6 October 2025.