More than one million Australians are projected to be living with dementia by 2065, more than double today’s figure, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) said in a report released on Friday.
The ‘Dementia in Australia’ report estimated the number of people with the condition will rise from about 425,000 in 2024 to 1.1 million in four decades. Women are disproportionately affected, with cases expected to grow from 266,000 in 2024 to 662,000 by 2065, compared with 159,000 to 390,000 for men.
Dementia was Australia’s leading cause of death in 2023, responsible for about 17,400 deaths, including 10,900 women and 6,500 men, the report said. It includes Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia and other forms.
About 42% of primary carers provided at least 60 hours of care per week in 2022, according to the report, which was published ahead of Dementia Action Week on September 15–21.
“Dementia has an enormous impact on Australian families,” said Dementia Australia CEO Tanya Buchanan.
Dementia is an umbrella term for symptoms including memory loss, impaired reasoning, personality changes and difficulty performing daily tasks. It results from damage to brain cells caused by diseases such as Alzheimer’s, which is the most common form. While memory loss is a widely recognized symptom, dementia can also affect language, mood, coordination, judgment, and the ability to manage everyday activities.
