ACT Dementia Navigation Summit
Working Together to Embed Dementia Navigators — The Right Care, at the Right Time
An invitation-only working summit turning the ACT Government's own evidence into a practical, region-ready dementia navigator roadmap.
9 - 10 February 2027. Ann Harding Conference Centre, University of Canberra
Sponsors and Partners
Interested in supporting the Summit? We'd welcome a conversation - contact the co-chairs below.
The Story: A First Step, Not an Event
The ACT Government's Evidence-based framework for dementia care in the ACT names a Dementia Navigator as the first of four priority reforms needed for dementia care in the Territory. This Summit is not a conference or a one-off event - it's the working mechanism that turns that evidence into an ACT-region roadmap, bringing together people living with dementia, carers, clinicians, researchers, aged care and health service providers, and government to co-develop a model everyone can commit to.
Three things have converged to make this the moment: the National Dementia Action Plan 2024-2034, endorsed by every Australian government in December 2024; the national multi-tier dementia navigator model being developed at the University of Sydney (not yet released); and the ACT Government's Evidence-based Framework for Dementia Care, published in June 2026. The ACT already has the mandate and the model - this Summit builds the roadmap.
Every session across the two-day program builds towards a working ACT Dementia Navigator Roadmap - not just a conversation, but tools services can put to work immediately:
- The ACT Dementia Navigator Flow Guide — a practical, usable document setting out what a dementia navigator needs to know, do and connect across key transition stages of the journey for people with dementia experiencing changed behaviours and their carers.
- The ACT Dementia Navigator Summit Report — policy recommendations and a formal statement of alignment to the National Dementia Action Plan 2024–2034, going to the Commonwealth and ACT Governments.
- A Cross-Sector Working Group, formed from Day 2 commitments, to carry the Roadmap into implementation.
Program at a Glance
Day 1
Tuesday 9 February 2027
Understanding the system, hearing directly from people with lived experience, building the economic case for a navigator model, and defining what success looks like.
Day 2
Wednesday 10 February 2027
Service providers, clinicians and carers work through real journey-stage scenarios to develop how a navigator operates in practice in the ACT region, closing with sector-wide commitments and the Summit's synthesis - the ACT Dementia Navigator Roadmap.
Who's Involved?
Co-Chairs
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Greg Fraser
Dementia Advocate
Former CEO, ACT Health
Former Director, Dementia Australia
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Shelley Thomson
Dementia Advocate
Co-founder & Director, Patient Experience Agency
Author, Patients for Life
Organising Committee
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Carolyn Smith
Consumer Advocate; Former Co-chair, ACT Health Dementia Health Experts Network
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Dr Mary Ann Kulh
Geriatrician; Director of Geriatric Medicine at North Canberra Hospital and former Co-chair of the ACT Dementia Health Experts Network
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Dr Jane Thompson
Former Carer & Dementia Australia Dementia Advocate
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A/Prof Nathan D'Cunha
Centre for Ageing Research and Translation, University of Canberra
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Prof Lee-Fay Low
University of Sydney; Developer of the National Multi-Tier Navigator Model
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Prof Sue Kurrle AO
Clinical Director of Aged Care and Rehabilitation, Northern Sydney LHD
Master of Ceremonies
Adrienne Francis
Honorary Ambassador Dementia Australia, ABC Canberra TV News Presenter and Journalist
Keynotes
Professor Lee-Fay Low
University of Sydney; Lead on developing National Dementia Navigator Model
Tom Morris
Director, Dementia Research Program & Data Analytics, HammondCare
For Media
Media Launch
Date: Thursday 24 September 2026, during Dementia Action Week
Arrival & Poster Displays: 10:00am
Speaker Program: 10:30am - 11:15am
Venue: Ann Harding Conference Centre, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT
Media Contact
Karen Caldwell, Media & Communications
Email: karen@assuritychangesolutions.com.au
Phone: 0406 967 823
Key Facts
Key National Statistics
- 445,600+ Australians living with dementia in 2025 - project to exceed 1 million by 2065 (+124%) [4]
- Prevelence rates of changed behaviours amongst people living with dementia vary between 56-90% [7]
- ~7% of people living with dementia are under the age of 65 [5]
- 1.7 million Australians involved in dementia care - contributing an estimated $15.8 billion per year in unpaid support [2]
- ~78,500 dementia-related hospitalisations annually - average stay 5 times longer than other patients [5]
- Independent economic modelling commissioned by Dementia Australia found that investing in dementia navigators yield a 410% financial return within four years. [2,3]
- Economic Impact Breakdown
- Initial Investment: $40.5 million national funding.
- Total Return: $166 million saved within 4 years.
- Net Benefit: Over $125 million in economic gains.
- Key Drivers of Savings
- Reduced Hospitalisation: Fewer preventable emergency visits.
- Delayed Care Placement: Prolonged independent living at home.
- Integrated Care Coordination: Faster access to community support.
- Reduced Carer Burnout: Decreased reliance on crisis interventions.
The ACT Region Picture
- ~6,300 Canberrans are living with dementia today, projected to reach ~12,300 by 2054 (+95%) [6]
- 1,565 Emergency Department (ED) presentations by people with documented dementia in 2022-23 – up ~20% in three years [6]
- 82% of ED presentations by people with dementia led to hospital admission, vs 61% for older Canberrans generally [6]
- ACT inpatient dementia care cost projected to rise from $23.3m (2022-23) to $32.5-$38.0m by 2040-41 [6]
- The ACT Government's Evidence-based Framework for Dementia Care (June 2026) names a Dementia Navigator as its first priority reform [6]
[1] Dementia Australia, Dementia Prevalence Data 2024–2054, commissioned research undertaken by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2023.
[2] Dementia Australia, economic modelling, 2025.
[3] Quantium, ROI modelling for Dementia Australia, 2025.
[4] Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), Dementia in Australia, 2025.
[5] National Dementia Action Plan 2024–2034, Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.
[6] ACT Health and Community Services Directorate / ACT Dementia Health Experts Network, Evidence-based Framework for Dementia Care, Canberra, 2026.
[7] Burns, K., Casey, A-N. & Brodaty, H. (2023). A Clinician's BPSD Guide 2023: Understanding and helping people experiencing changed behaviours and psychological symptoms associated with dementia. Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), UNSW Sydney. Direct PDF link: A Clinician's BPSD Guide 2023, CHeBA landing page: unsw.edu.au/cheba/clinical-care/clinicians-bpsd-guide-2023
Downloads
For Registered Attendees
This Summit is invitaton-only. If you've received an invitation, please register using the personal link in your email.
Attendee questions: please contact the co-chairs or the conference managers at conferences@consec.com.au.
Contact
Greg Fraser
Email: gfraser@netspeed.com.au
Phone: 0407 432 493
Shelley Thomson
Email: shelley@patientexperienceagency.com.au
Phone: 0412 057 116
Interested in getting involved with Dementia Advocacy?
This Summit is invitation-only, but living with dementia, caring for someone, and dementia advocacy isn't. If you're not attending and want to get involved — as a volunteer, a dementia advocate, or simply to find support for yourself or someone you're caring for — Dementia Australia runs these programs year-round:
- Dementia Advocates Program - for people living with dementia who want to raise awareness and influence decision-makers
- Volunteer with Dementia Australia - event-based and ongoing volunteering opportunities across Australia
- All ways to get involved - the full list, including fundraising and Dementia-Friendly Communities
- Get support - for anyone living with dementia or caring for someone, including the National Dementia Helpline, 1800 100 500
Acknowledgement of Country
The ACT Dementia Navigation Summit Organising Committee acknowledges the Ngunnawal and Ngambri (Kamberri) peoples, traditional custodians of the lands on which this Summit takes place. We wish to acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of Canberra and the region. We also acknowledge all other First Nations Peoples on whose lands we gather.
Privacy Statement
The ACT Dementia Navigation Summit Organising Committee respects your privacy and is committed to protecting any person information handled in connection with this website and the Summit.
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Registration for the ACT Dementia Navigation Summit is managed on our behalf by our appointed conference organisers, Consec – Conference and Event Management (Neame Consultancy Pty Ltd). Any personal information you provide when registering — including through your personal
invitation link — is collected and held by Consec, and is handled in accordance with Consec's Privacy Policy, available here.
If you have any questions about how this website handles information, please contact the Summit Organising Committee at [Shelley Thomson, Co-Chair - shelley@patientexperienceagency.com.au]. For questions about information you've provided during registration, please contact Consec directly at conferences@consec.com.au.