Today, we are sharing a post of a video made by our Chair, Kate Swaffer in 2013, which highlights too well, what almost all speakers with dementia in Chicago shared. It is rather disturbing that little has changed for people newly diagnosed with dementia in the last 10-20 years, especially at the time of diagosis, and that the lack of education of health care professionals in dementia is still so inadequate.
Some of the terms Kate uses, are not what she would say today, as like everyone, even people with dementia can learn, as well as change their minds. But, too often, dignity and respect is still lacking in dementia care, in hospitals and in residential care.
"This video interview was made for the recent South Australian Dementia Forum held on 5 December 2013. At this event, a large number of experts, health care professionals and consumers, including carers and people with dementia attended to listen, learn, and workshop about how to improve the care of people with dementia and mild cognitive impairment in the acute hospital setting. I hope it highlights some of the challenges we currently face as patients, and assists in helping others know how we would like to be treated, in particular with the same education about our disease as any other illness, and with the same respect and dignity as any other patient. Sadly, the experiences I talked about really happened. Opinions are my own."
Kate Swaffer © 2013