Module 1 — Dementia: Who, what, and why

Module 1 discusses dementia in the broad contexts of disease incidence, different types of dementia, pathophysiology, presentation and progression.  It includes discussion about the burden of disease, highlighting the prevalence in our communities, the financial and social costs, demonstrating why this topic is a high priority for health departments, health workforces, communities and families.  It shows there is more to national and international health provider decision making than budget; the resulting ripple effect on families and communities is far greater than that.  It is therefore imperative that, in the spirit of person-centred care, the experiences of patients, families and friends provide the background upon which planning for health service provision and workforce education is based.

The theoretical knowledge gained from this module is enhanced by additional learning opportunities. The content of this module is linked to examples in Ed’s narrative, activities and learning strategies to better understand the concepts.