Advocacy Report: Health Policies for Dementia Prevention in Australia

This report focuses on advocating for health policies related to dementia prevention in Australia, specifically targeting the elderly population. It analyzes the role of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) in addressing this growing health concern. The report delves into the background of the issue, hi...Read More

Advocacy on any health
issues in Australia
Prevention of Dementia

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
1. Background..................................................................................................................................3
Discussion of the organisation................................................................................................3
Values and ideologies.............................................................................................................3
Health issue or problem of the population group...................................................................4
Extent and urgency of the issue..............................................................................................4
Impact of the chosen problem on the population group.........................................................5
2. Aims And Objectives Of The Policy For Advocacy...................................................................6
3. Promoting Health Of The Selected Population With The Help Of Policy By Using A Public
Health Or Health Promotion Framework.........................................................................................7
Ottawa charter........................................................................................................................7
4. Recommendations To Actions For Government (A Minimum Of Three)..................................8
Recommendations based on objective 1-...............................................................................8
Recommendation based on objective 2-.................................................................................9
Recommendation based on objective 3-.................................................................................9
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
The present report is based on the advocacy of certain health related polices for the
purpose of advocating on behalf of a selected health care setting of Australia named Australian
Medical Association (AMA). It is with a leading focus on benefiting the people who are either
suffering from dementia or at a higher risk of it (Brodaty & Cumming, 2010, pp.887-995). It is
hereby for the welfare of this targeted set of population representing the group of elderly people
in Australia. For which, this report has primarily demonstrated the background of the entire study
by together setting some effective aims and objectives for both the chosen organisation, i.e.,
AMA and the polices that are being advocated on its behalf (Cherbuin, Anstey & Lipnicki, 2008,
pp.431). Lastly, the framed set of polices are analysed with the use of a health promotion
framework called Ottawa charter so as to make further recommendations for the improvement of
the formulated policies.
1. Background
Discussion of the organisation
AMA has been chosen to highlight the ratio of health issues in Australia where there
exists a rising demand for the health system in Australia due to an ageing number of population
over there (Coogle, Head & Parham, 2006, pp.611-631). AMA is a predecessor of British
Medical Association (BMA) where it is with a leading intent of representing the medical students
as well as doctors with a foundation year of 55 years and headquarter in Barton which is an
Australian Capital District (Craig & Strivens, 2016, pp.48-53).
Values and ideologies
This is on discoursing upon the values and ideologies of AMA where they are keen to
provide a vital platform to the self interested grandstander's who represents the organisation that
is integrated with registered medical professionals and students. Wherein, all its appointed bodies
are referred to give a foremost priority to their patient's by being committed to their welfare and
maintain the doctor patient relationship (Delafosse, 2013, pp.25). This relationship is being
maintained on the basis of some principle prospects such as trust, mutual respect and cooperation
towards one other where both the patient's and doctors are referred to have both their
individualistic rights and duties. Also, the medical practitioners associated with AMA have
pledged to defend and advocate the well-being of wider public that reflects their optimistic

ideology towards serving the overall community with a greater sense of affirmative values in it
(Freegard, H. & Pond, 2015, pp.37).
Health issue or problem of the population group
The Australian population exists with a greater ratio of elderly community who are more
than 75 years of age. This enumerated statistics is predicted to rise by 4 million by the end of
2060 (Hines, Abbey, Wilson & Sacre, 2010, pp.126-128). It is however due to an increase of
overall population within a range of 6.4 to 14.4% and for which, the aged care is presently
referred to be a prime focus of the Australian government to bring significant health related
reforms for the well-being of their rising old aged population. It is with a vital existence of a
reform called “Living Longer Living Better” where this campaign was duly passed by the
National Parliament at the end of the year 2013 (Goeman & et. al., 2016, pp. e011451). This
reflected an encompassing 10 year programs to reshape the agenda of elderly care with a
fundamental aim of creating an improved, fair and a nationwide agreeable system for elderly
care.
Extent and urgency of the issue
This is to identify the level of the selected health related issue called dementia by
together ascertaining the urge of resolving it (Jorm, Dear & Burgess, 2005, pp.959-963). This is
basically due to a rising population of elderly people in Australia who are at a higher risk of
getting contagious to dementia where it is mostly apparent to impact people above 60 years of
age. Although, not being a sign of an increasing age, it is evident to make a primary impact on
the elder community within the aforementioned age range (Mace, Clark, Mansbach & Firth,
2015, pp.P586-P587). It is thereby referred to be one of the anticipated effect of such ageing
population in Australia that in turn has raised the numeration of people suffering from dementia
and are continually rising over the time period. As a result to which, the proposed
approximations are foreseen to rise the case of dementia in Australia by 900, 000 by the end of
the year 2050 (Lloyd & Stirling, 2015, pp.1801-1820). Hence, dementia is referred to be a
leading health related concern for the Australian community with intense outcomes for the
wellness and quality life of those who are at a risk of suffering with it along with their respective
family members and friends, etc.

Impact of the chosen problem on the population group
The current prevalence of dementia in Australia is more than 350, 000 as per the last
enumerated ration of the year 2015 (O’Keeffe, 2016, pp.8). After which, further projections done
to innumerate the ageing population and the growth of elderly people in Australia, it has been
found that the aforesaid figure is expected to raise by 400, 000 by the year 2020 and 900, 000 by
the end of the year 2050. It is mainly on the basis of some other pivotal findings in whose
accordance, 1 out of every 10 aged person more than 65 years of age has been found to suffer
from dementia in the year 2015 which is more than 10% of the total number of aged population
in this age range (Quinn, 2010, pp.1). Likewise, 3 in every 10 Australians people ageing above
85 was found to suffer from dementia in the year 2015 that depicted more than 31% existence of
this disease in the nation.
Dementia being a leading health related concern in Australia exists with some aggravated
outcomes for both the family members of the person suffering from it and their friends, peers and
relatives, etc., (Smith & Gridley, 2006, pp.130-139). Although, person of any age can tend to
suffer from disease where it is more apparent to impact the people who are more than 65 years of
age. Wherein, its variety and intensity of the syndromes and its forms of evolution alters as per
the kind of dementia where it is step by step onset with more advanced and permanent
indications (Snyder & et. al., 2014, pp.466-471).
2. Aims And Objectives Of The Policy For Advocacy
This is on referring to the policy of advocacy in the elected health organisation called
AMA on a chosen disease named dementia, it has been found that they have included certain
medical policies in the section of their aged care system (Weih & et. al., 2008, pp.1116-1123). It
is specially formed for people suffering from the issue of dementia and are in requirement of
acquiring palliative care. It has hereby targeted the old age Australian people with a complex
situation and some unique medical conditions (Westwood, 2016, pp.21). For which, AMA has
hereby provisioned certain medicinal care that are comparatively correspondent to the foremost
agenda of the administration.
It is to formulate the aims and objectives of the policy for advocacy over here, it is
required to enlighten some factual occurrences in Australia where a regular attention is required
to be given by the medical practitioners for a constant administration of the patients (Medical
Care for Dementia, Palliative, and Aged Care Patients, 2013). It must be done with a

cooperative sense of serving the patients by together supporting their families and care takers
outside the hospital premises. Similarly, the funding system in Australia for the medical care of
patient's suffering from dementia is required to be sufficient (Craig & Strivens, 2016). However,
at present, there is no proper recognition of the time that is being expended by the doctors to
assess the patients.
Also, no competent arrangement of services are there to support the family members of
the patients and their carers as well (Sloan, 2015) It is where a decent investment of funds in the
medical care is in turn proven to aid the Australian people to obtain suitable and quality services
of palliative medical care and dementia within a befitting health care setting. Lastly, their
together exists an active system of Medicare rebates for the services that are being provided by
the medical professionals involving the registered nurses (Thomas, 2013, pp.785-786). Herein,
such active existence must in turn reflect the actual amount of time along with the quality of
provisioning current dementia and calmative medical care to the community people.
It is thereby on the basis of above discovered occurrences of medical care for people
suffering from dementia in Australia, below are the aims and objectives of the policy for
advocacy with a prime intent of reducing the risk of dementia in people above 65 years of age
(Taylor & Payer, 2016, pp.1-16). In context to which, below are some well defined objectives for
the fulfilment of the above intended aim-
1. Adequate amount of funds is required to be invested by the Australian government to
assist the health care organisations to provide quality services to the people suffering
from dementia (Snyder, Bain, Egge & Carrillo, 2013, pp.466-471).
2. A proper scrutinization of medical rebates must be done for collating the time that is
usually taken up by the doctors to assess, diagnose and provision medical care to the
patients. This is required to be done in association to plan and manage their care and
treatments with that to the patient's family and care takers.
3. Additionally, arranging and subordinating services for the patients suffering from
dementia is also reflected to be yet another major consideration (Robinson & et. al.,
2010, pp.657-664).

3. Promoting Health Of The Selected Population With The Help Of Policy By
Using A Health Promotion Framework
Health promotion is referred to be a significant procedure that duly enable the individuals
to amend their wellness and achieve a greater control on their well-being (Phillipson and Jones,
2012, pp.24-34). It is vitally aimed to welfare the community with support of some prime
objectives that are aimed to enable them by firstly determining and realising their realistic needs
and satisfying the same (Nakanishi & Nakashima, 2014, pp.468-476).
Ottawa charter
This is on considering the health promotion framework of Ottawa Charter that is based
upon some prerequisite fundamentals for the well-being of the public that is currently focussed
upon a targeted population of elderly people in UK suffering from dementia or at a risk of it.
This mainly involved certain elementary resources and conditions for health known as peace,
education, shelter, food, a stable eco system, income, sustainable resources along with equity and
social justice (Colquhoun, 2010). It is basically to amend the wellness of the targeted group
suffering from dementia or are currently at a risk of it. This can be done by referring to the
foremost constituent of this abstractive model named as advocacy.
It is in context to the major concern of provisioning good health which is a leading source
for the societal, economic and personal evolution of an individual to lead a quality life by
fulfilling the aforementioned dimensions. This is with reference to some potential factors such as
political, socio- cultural, economic, behavioural, environmental and biological that can either
contribute in the favour of good health or can also lead to degrade it (Dewing & Dijk, 2016,
pp.106-124). With reference to which, the action related to the promotion of health in turn results
in creating a favourable situation via advocacy for health as in the present case focussing upon
promoting the health of the targeted population of elderly community in Australia suffering from
dementia or at a risk of it.
On whose basis, this model will refer to affirm an active existence of its aforesaid
constituents by referring to provide a peaceful environment to the old age people when
approaching for treatment in a health care setting like AMA. Also, provisioning a stabilised
system by considering their sheltering needs and providing timely services such as food, etc., are
also referred to be a foremost agenda of this theoretical model. Beside this, the AMA
professionals are also required to consider the fact of social justice while referring to the

application of Ottawa Charter over here (Adams, Bagshaw, Wendt & Zannettino, 2014, pp.270-
290). It is where each and every individual has a prior right of taking their individualistic
decisions that also relates to their treatment related determination that must be supported by the
care providers. This is to interpret a clear link between the policy and framework where the
above undertaken policies of advocacy are required to be reflected in the legal framework of
AMA so as to fulfil the scrutinized needs and demands of the targeted group of aged people
suffering from dementia or are at a risk of it.
4. Recommendations To Actions For Government
This is to propose some vital actions to the governmental body of Australia for the
prevention of dementia by undertaking some below suggested measures-
Recommendations based on objective 1-
1. It is mainly in context to the ascertained issue of inadequate funds to the Australian care
settings for provisioning care to the people suffering from dementia and approaching
AMA for treatment (Australia's health system, 2017). On whose basis, the primary
objective is to make an adequate investment of funds by the Australian government. For
which, a foremost recommendation with reference to it is to provide adequate funds to
the Australian care homes dealing with the case of dementia for an early detection of
their patients approaching with similar signs of it (Cridland, Phillipson, Brennan-Horley
& Swaffer, 2016, pp.1774-1786). It is with the help of these invested funds, they must be
instructed to use effective medical equipments for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment,
etc.
Recommendation based on objective 2-
2. It is in context to yet another leading issue where the medical rebates of the health
practitioners are not referred to be utilized in an effective manner (Wardle, 2016). For
which, another defined objective is with reference to the medical rebates which are
required to be scrutinized so as to verify its potent utilization by the health care
professional. This can be done by initiating a campaigning program which is together
referred to be yet another effectual measure for the prevention of dementia where the
people at a higher risk of it must be acknowledged about its occurrence along with some
ways of preventing it (Cooper, 2011, pp.64). For which, they must be together

encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyle by being both mentally and physically active and
withdrawing the habits of smoking and consumption of alcoholic drinks, etc.
Recommendation based on objective 3-
3. Lastly, on the basis of yet another problematic concern where the patients suffering from
dementia and their family members are not referred to get plentiful support from the
health care settings (Fairman, Hirst and Irwin, 2016). For which, the last objective is to
set up and coordinate some beneficial services for the patients who are suffering from
dementia or are at a risk of it. Wherein, proper training sessions must be arranged for the
family members and care takers of the patients suffering from dementia and where they
should be taught some impelling ways to deal with it (Colquhoun, 2010).
CONCLUSION
The above report has concentrated upon four leading sections with a foremost part of
background to discourse upon the prevalence of the selected disease. It is with another
subdivision to define the aims and objectives of the policy of advocacy with a subsequent portion
to support the health of the targeted population of elderly community with the assistance of a
health promotion framework. Lastly, some vital suggestions have been advised to the Australian
government to undertake some requisite measures for the well-prosperity of the targeted group of
people.

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