Within Australia's ageing population, there is a subsection recognised for behaviours so challenging and potentially destructive that they cannot be accommodated within mainstream aged care.

Indeed, this cohort exists on the fringes of aged care, sapping disproportionate resources from multiple government agencies and portfolios including aged care, mental health, drug and alcohol, justice, hospital and community services, housing and homelessness.

Excessive drinking and poor nutrition over a long period can result in decreased blood flow or metabolism in the frontal lobes of the brain, leading to a specific form of dementia often described as frontal lobe dementia, alcohol-related dementia (ABD) or, more specifically, as an alcohol related brain injury (ARBI). Unlike Alzheimer’s disease, which affects a different area of the brain, people with ARBI do not tend to show signs of confusion or forgetfulness, often leading to the misconception that their behaviour is under their full control and understanding. As a result, people with ARBI are frequently labelled as difficult and are often vilified or punished for their actions.

As a specialist aged care provider for the homeless, Wintringham will share general and specialist strategies for supporting the needs of Aged Homeless.