Believe it or not, DAI has recently turned three! It is usual to say, Happy Birthday so this blog is doing just that! The seven co-founders of DAI who set up this organisation on January 1, 2014, could never have imagined, in our wildest dreams how much progress we would have made in such a short time, and although three of our co-founders are no longer with us, we believe they would be very proud of what they dreamed of and started.
Ironically, most of us forgot our own birthday, and therefore made zero noise about it on the day, but we are however, celebrating it with our members and families at our online Café Le Brain on Tuesday January 17 (USA/UK) / Wednesday January 18 (AU/NZ). Login details have been emailed to members.
We are also very pleased to be able to report that very soon, you will receive DAI's first formal Annual Report, along with our other news, plans and dreams for 2017, in our first e-Newsletter for the year.
Frankly, it is totally unacceptable that the 2015 conclusion of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development[i], based on an exhaustive study of the world’s 38 richest countries was that “Dementia receives the worst care in the developed world,” This is one reason why we are such passionate advocates for real change, not just more rhetoric.
We may be seen by a few as too critical of some things, or as disruptors, as we often question the status quo. However, if care was not so poor in so many countries, as per the conclusion above, we would not have to.
Our greatest aspiration, is that we can work together, and that it will always be "Nothing about us, without ALL of us". We hope that local, national and global groups of people with dementia and the many not for profit and other advocacy organisations can all work together, in cooperation and in harmony, towards the same or similar goals.
As we quoted on Day 1 of Dementia Alliance International:
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. (Margaret Mead)
We are all working towards the same goals, which is to improve the quality of life for all people with dementia and our families; as a global organisation, DAI has a responsibility to work hard towards supporting that gaol in all countries around the world. If all the groups of people making a difference from every corner of the globe, all work together, imagine how much more powerful we could be...
[i] OECD (2015) Dementia: the OECD Response. Paris: Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.