Dementia to grow 35% in Dubbo to 2058 - how can we prepare?

The couple's granddaughter, Danielle Bentick Fistr - a Dubbo photographer who owns Preserve Photography - captured her Nan and Pop in a touching photo series shortly before Mack died in August.

Ms Bentick Fistr had been doing more photography shoots for older people and those struggling with dementia when she photographed the couple who had raised her.

It had become part of an offering to capture people in beautiful stills for their loved ones to keep when they passed - a service Ms Bentick Fistr began offering to become more dementia-friendly.

Dementia prevalence in Dubbo is estimated to grow 35 per cent by 2058. The data, released by Dementia Australia in 2018, showed that 1693 cases in 2021 would likely rise to 2300 cases over the next 37 years, keeping in line with rises in other regional NSW hubs.

These figures make Ms Bentick Fistr feel "scared for the future" - and for her family.

"Watching Pop go through that and knowing it's in my family history and that's the prediction, I hope more people become familiar with [the possibility of dementia in their family]," she said.

"Everyone thinks that it happens when you're way old - but way old comes quicker than we think it will."

Ms Bentick Fistr began sharing her story on social media when her Pop was diagnosed with Dementia and it struck a chord with locals - including people she didn't know.

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"I have quite a few people reach out and say they're going through it or have a loved one going through it. It's nice to know you're not alone," she said.

"My Pop was a very private man, but at the same time, I feel like there were benefits with Pop's story being told, to raise awareness and to make others feel like they've got someone ... to watch his story and follow on."

She found "a bit of a passion" for telling people's stories during this time and, after completing an online course called Understanding Dementia with the University of Tasmania, she developed a photography service called Legacy Sessions.

"These are catered to the elderly and people in decline. I've had a lot of people reach out with parents and grand-parents and they want to capture them [in photos] before it's too late," Ms Bentick Fistr said.

This service is a string in her bow to becoming a dementia-friendly business owner - an idea that is supported by Dementia Australia which offers a dementia-friendly toolkit online for businesses.

Dementia Australia also offers a range of services to support people impacted by dementia, and these are tailored to different needs.

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Maree McCabe, CEO, Dementia Australia, said: "Our services are available pre-diagnosis and to all people living with all types of dementia or mild cognitive impairment, regardless of age, background or location."

The issue of rising dementia prevalence is a serious one across the state. In NSW it is estimated there are almost 135,000 people living with all forms of dementia in 2023, and without a medical breakthrough, that number is expected to increase to more than 260,000 by 2058.

As the number of people living with dementia grows, so too does the need for support and services.

Ms McCabe said people living with dementia can live well for many years, but it is critical appropriate supports are available and accessible from the earliest possible stage.

She said the community played a big role in helping support people with dementia and their loved ones, and raising awareness to make Dubbo a dementia-friendly community.

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"We know discrimination has a big impact on people living with dementia, their families and carers, and a little support from the community and health care professionals can make a big difference," Ms McCabe said.

"We recently hosted community education sessions and it was wonderful to see the growing interest in Dubbo becoming a dementia-friendly community - a place where people living with dementia can live a high quality of life with meaning, purpose and value.

"I encourage anyone in the community to become a Dementia Friend to learn more about dementia, the challenges faced by people living with dementia and how to help people with dementia remain connected. Head to dementiafriendly.org.au to find out more and to sign up to become a Dementia Friend."

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For Ms Bentick Fistr, she noticed awareness of dementia growing in the community when she was out with her Pop. Sometimes, the smallest of gestures, like a well-placed question from a waitress or simply a nod and a smile to show they were listening, made things run a lot more smoothly - and made her Pop feel more understood.

A few weeks before her Pop's passing, she and her Nan took him to a cafe. She ordered pancakes to celebrate their 64th wedding anniversary.

"The waitress said to me, would you like us to put a candle in to make it more special? I thought it was nice she checked, because it was a flare candle, and she wanted to make sure it wasn't a trigger [for Pop]," Ms Bentick Fistr said.

She has other ideas of what could help people like her Pop, like printing special menus with pictures, reserving a quiet table in the corner for people with dementia and their families, and providing training to customer-facing staff.