On Sunday 16 September 2018, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that the government would establish a Royal Commission to primarily look at the quality of care provided in residential and home aged care to senior Australians.
Dementia Australia was called upon immediately to provide input into the draft Terms of Reference. They were submitted to the Department of Health in late September 2018. Dementia Australia received significant feedback from its Dementia Australia Advisory Committee, advocates, members of the Board and staff.
On Tuesday 9 October, the Terms of Reference for the Royal Commission were released and Dementia Australia applauded the decision to make dementia a central focus of the investigations.
Dementia Australia supports a solutions-based approach to the Royal Commission to identify a clear path forward to improving the health and care outcomes for the more than 400,000 people living with dementia in Australia.
Updates
Visit the Royal Commission website.
Dementia Australia Media Releases, submissions and key links
- 1 March 2021 Commissioners have listened to people impacted by dementia – now will the government act?
- 26 February 2021 People impacted by dementia demand a commitment to quality dementia care
- 23 February 2021 Dementia Australia’s Roadmap to Quality Dementia Care
- 23 February 2021 ‘Carpe diem’ for quality dementia care - Royal Commission Report
- 12 November 2020 Response to Counsel Assisting’s final submissions
- 23 October 2020 Focus on dementia in recommendations to Aged Care Royal Commission welcomed by Dementia Australia
- 2 October 2020 Royal Commission COVID-19 report welcomed yet more needed for people living with dementia
- 9 July 2020 Dementia peak body welcomes Royal Commission extension and additional home care package
- July 2020 People with younger onset dementia in the aged care system
- July 2020 Aged care system governance, market management, and roles and responsibilities
- June 2020 The Needs of Carers of People Living with Dementia - submission to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety
- 16 March 2020 Transcript of Dr Tanya Petrovich, Business Innovation Manager, Dementia Australia appearance at Adelaide Workshop 2, Royal Commission
- 13 March 2020 Dementia Australia response to Counsel Assisting's submissions on the future of the aged care workforce
- 13 February 2020 Opinion article by Maree McCabe, CEO Dementia Australia: Quality dementia care is quality care for all
- 11 February 2020 Transcript of Maree McCabe, CEO Dementia Australia appearance at Adelaide Workshop 1, Royal Commission
- 24 January 2020 Dementia Australia Program Design Submission to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety
- 6 December 2019 Dementia Australia Workforce Submission to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety
- 25 November 2019 Welcomed ‘first steps’ response to interim report with more urgently needed
- 31 October 2019 Urgent calls to end ‘neglect’ in aged care echoed by Dementia Australia
- 17 October 2019 Training in dementia care for aged care workforce is recurrent theme
- 1 October 2019 Dr Tanya Petrovich's statement to the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety
- 12 August 2019 Support for informal carers under the spotlight at Royal Commission into aged care
- 24 June 2019 Culturally appropriate, person-centred care essential
- 10 May 2019 Voices of experience reinforce need for dementia training
- 3 May 2019 Second leading cause of death of Australians largely ignored
- 22 February 2019 Lack of visibility in home care and dementia a major concer
- 19 February 2019 Transcript of Maree McCabe, CEO Dementia Australia appearance at Royal Commission
- 19 February 2019 Dementia Australia Witness Statement and attachments submitted for the Royal Commission
- 19 February 2019 Dementia must be a priority now and into the future
- 19 February 2019 Dementia is not optional - and dementia training shouldn't be either
- 10 February 2019 Increased aged care funding a good step - now a focus on training and culture essential
- 19 January 2019 Royal Commission into aged care commences with promising focus on learning from past mistakes
- 17 January 2019 Current system continues to fail the people it’s designed to protect
- 14 January 2019 Shared responsibility, holistic, informed approach - the solution for dementia care plans
- 29 November 2018 The Royal Commission is an important opportunity for change' Opinion editorial by Maree McCabe, CEO Dementia Australia
Key dates:
Interim report presented to the government on 31 October 2019
Aged care and COVID-19: a special report presented to the government 1 October 2020
Final report presented to the government on 26 February 2021
Commissioners:
Honourable Tony Pagone QC, former Judge of the Federal Court of Australia; and
Lynelle Briggs AO, former CEO of Medicare Australia and APS Commissioner