Farewelling 2022, Welcoming 2023
As we come to the end of 2022, the task we at Dementia Alliance International (DAI) face of providing services and peer-to-peer support to our members continues. We feel sure our new board will be focused on member support and activities, as well as defending the human rights of all people with dementia globally.
People diagnosed with dementia, of which in 2019, the World Health Organisation estimated there were more than 55 million globally, are also recognised as persons with disabilities. DAI will continue to campaign for dementia to be supported as a condition causing cognitive and other disabilities, towards increased independence and a higher quality of life for longer.
We will continue to work with you and to do our part to support a diverse, vast, and growing work to protect our Human Rights, and to fight for dementia to be managed as a condition causing disabilities, to ensure equal access to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) and other Conventions. We will continue to advocate for the implementation of the United Nations De-institutionalisation Guidelines in consultations and other events or meetings where we represent our members.
The DAI Environmental Design Special Interested group (ED-SiG) that some of our members and supporters are involved in will also be a focus in 2023, as people with dementia have a right to enabling environmental design. Our other involvement in special interest groups (SiG) such as the Australian Young Onset Dementia SiG and the Sexual Assault and Dementia SiG will continue. We all have a right to live in a safe, age appropriate and caring environment, free from violence, neglect and assault of any kind, and supported to live independently by experienced people to support our aspirations and dreams to live our best life. Please get involved if you are interested in working with us.
Finally, we are excited to be coming up to our ninth birthday, on January 1, 2023, another milestone for a global organisation primarily by and for people diagnosed with any type or cause of dementia, of any age. A virtual birthday café celebration is definitely on the radar, hopefully to be announced very soon.
On behalf of the Dementia Alliance International board and team, we thank our donors, partners and every one of you for your ongoing support.
If you have not yet donated to DAI, or thought to partner with us, we’d love to have you consider doing so in 2023. Read more information about Donating to or partnering with DAI here.
We wish you the very best of Season’s Greetings and a wonderful start to the 2023 New Year.
Alister Robertson, Chair,
on behalf of the DAI board, staff and volunteers.