Dementia Australia welcomes Australia’s first National Dementia Education and Training Standards Framework, released this week by Dementia Training Australia, funded by The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.
Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan said the standards are essential for building the dementia capability of the health, disability and aged care workforce.
“433,300 Australians are living with dementia in 2025, and it is increasingly being understood as the public health, disability and aged care challenge facing Australia,” Professor Buchanan said.
“People living with dementia have specific care and support requirements that cannot be delivered without an appropriately educated workforce.
"As a leading provider of dementia training, Dementia Australia welcomes the Framework. It is a testament to effective co-design with Dementia Australia Dementia Advocates and experts from across the sector, including Dementia Australia staff actively engaged in its development.
“The Framework clearly outlines the level of competency required of different roles within the workforce in order to deliver quality dementia care. It also provides a foundation on which providers can base their ongoing professional development programs.
“We need to see the foundation established by these education standards built into mandatory training for the workforce. This is critical to ensuring high quality services for people living with dementia.
“That is why Dementia Australia continues to call on the Australian Government to fund dementia education initiatives to build workforce capability.”
Dementia Australia Dementia Advocate Gwenda Darling who lives with younger onset dementia said she felt honoured to be included in the consultation of this Framework.
“It was a true co-design with people living with and caring for those with different types of dementia.” Ms Darling said.
Download the National Dementia Education and Training Standards Framework here.
Dementia Australia offers training and education resources for care workers to equip them to better support people living with dementia with accredited programs and free resources. For more information visit: dementia.org.au/professionals/aged-care-workers.
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Dementia Australia is the source of trusted information, education and services for the estimated more than 433,300 Australians living with dementia, and the more than 1.7 million people involved in their care. We advocate for positive change and support vital research. We are here to support people impacted by dementia, and to enable them to live as well as possible. No matter how you are impacted by dementia or who you are, we are here for you.
For support, please contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500. An interpreter service is available. The National Dementia Helpline is funded by the Australian Government. People looking for information can also visit dementia.org.au
Media contacts: Catherine McCarthy, Media and Communications Advisor [email protected] 0466 796 201
When talking or writing about dementia please refer to Dementia-Friendly Language Guidelines.
Note to Editors:
We request, where possible, details for the National Dementia Helpline 1800 100 500 appear alongside news stories about dementia, as these stories often prompt questions or concerns:
If this story has prompted any questions or concerns, please call the National Dementia Helpline 1800 100 500 (24 hours, 7 days a week) or visit dementia.org.au.
