Aged care reduces hospitalisations for Australians with dementia

Australians living with dementia who move into residential aged care after a hospital stay are less likely to be readmitted to a hospital within 12 months.

A new report published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) explored how people living with dementia move between hospitals and residential aged care and their use of health services following hospitalisations.

Around 38 per cent of people living with dementia who entered residential aged care after being hospitalised were readmitted to hospital within 12 months, compared to the 62 per cent of those who continued living in the community.

They were also less likely to have an emergency department presentation at 50 per cent compared to 63 per cent.

AIHW spokesperson Louise Gates said the report was important, especially with the growing ageing population.

"Dementia is a significant and growing health and aged care issue in Australia that has a substantial impact on the health and quality of life of people with the condition, as well as their family and friends," she said.

"The care needs of people with dementia increase as their dementia progresses, which often results in people living with dementia moving into residential aged care to receive ongoing care, or changing facilities as care needs change."

"Having a better understanding of how people with dementia access health services and move between hospitals and residential aged care can contribute to improvements in the health and aged care systems."

More than 400,000 Australians live with dementia.

That number is estimated to jump to 900,000 in the next 25 years, with the recent Intergenerational Report estimating Australia's older population to triple.

Seventy per cent of aged-care residents live with moderate to severe cognitive impairments, including dementia.

The AIHW report found that in a single year, 79,000 people aged 65 and older living with dementia were hospitalised.

Of those people, 62 per cent lived in the community before hospitalisation, with the rest in residential aged care.

"Twenty-three per cent of those people who lived in the community prior to their hospitalisation moved to residential aged care within a week of leaving hospital," Ms Gates said.

"This increased to 33 per cent at three months and 37 per cent at 12 months after leaving hospital."

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