Dementia Awareness Month is a great time to start a conversation – because new research shows conversation is one of the first casualties of a disease affecting some 4600 families in our shire today.

Just knowing about the disease is not enough, Dementia Australia CEO Maree McCabe says.

Reaching out to include those living with the disease – and their loved ones – is the best way to reduce the social isolation that makes everything harder.

“The way we respond, communicate and interact with a person with dementia has an enormous impact on their day to day life,” Ms McCabe said. Dementia Australia says small actions can make a big difference – and the organisation is there to help.

This month, it wants us to become “Dementia Friends”.

That means learning to “do small, everyday things that can make a difference – being patient in a shop queue, offering assistance if someone appears disoriented or confused, allowing extra time for inclusion in a conversation or taking in how the environment might be impacting on someone’s ability to focus or engage”. 

A 15-minute online module has information and videos showing how you can help.

Visit dementiafriendly.org.au to find out why.

You will be joining the more than 5000 Australians have already signed up to become a Dementia Friend.

This issue is of particular importance for our shire.

Compared to the national average, we have roughly double the number of people aged over 65 years.

Dementia is just one of the age-related conditions in which we are likely to be over-represented in the statistics.

Yet, if we must succumb to diseases of old age, we could not pick a more beautiful part of the world to do it in. Let’s help each other live it up for as long as we can and keep the door to communication open.

Our regular column, Grey Grit, on page 3 and online today, continues to inspire with examples of residents giving ageing a run for its money.

Send your nominations to community.eurobodalla@fairfaxmedia.com.au