CANBERRA, Sept. 12 (Xinhua) — More than 1 million Australians are projected to have dementia by 2065, a government report said on Friday.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s updated Dementia in Australia report, the number is expected to more than double from about 425,000 people in 2024 to 1.1 million by 2065.
Women currently outnumber men with dementia, with 266,000 women and 159,000 men affected in 2024, rising to an estimated 662,000 women and 390,000 men by 2065, it said.
Dementia was the leading cause of death in Australia in 2023, accounting for about 17,400 deaths, including 10,900 women and 6,500 men, said the report which includes Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, unspecified dementia, and other types such as Lewy body dementia.
Dementia Australia CEO Tanya Buchanan said the report, released in the lead-up to Dementia Action Week on Sept. 15-21, reveals the enormous impact dementia has on Australian families.
The report highlights the vital role of carers, with about 42 percent of primary carers of people with dementia providing at least 60 hours of care weekly in 2022. ■