Dementia is the term used to describe the symptoms of a large group of illnesses, which cause a progressive decline in a person’s mental functioning. It is a broad term, which describes a loss of memory, intellect, rationality, social skills and normal emotional reactions.

Dementia usually has an insidious onset, with most people developing symptoms gradually over a period of years. The progression of these diseases is largely unpredictable for each individual. How and what symptoms develop depend on what parts of the brain are affected by which illness, and the unique characteristics of each individual.

• While the risk of dementia increases with age, dementia is not a natural part of ageing.
• There are more than 100 conditions that cause dementia.
• The average rate of moderate to severe dementia amongst Australians is about one in fifteen aged 65+. Among people aged 80 to 84 the rate is one in nine, and among those aged 85+ it is one in four.
• Dementia affects the lives of nearly one million Australians who are involved in caring for a family member or friend with dementia.
• Dementia is currently the second largest cause of disability burden after depression. By 2016, dementia will be the largest source of disability burden.
• By 2016, dementia is projected to be the largest source of burden of disease (a concept that embraces both mortality and disability) for women and the fifth largest for men.
• Alzheimer's disease, the most common cause of dementia, accounts for between 50% and 70% of all cases; the second most common form is vascular dementia, which may be preventable.
• A person with dementia will live for an average of four to eight years, depending on their age at diagnosis. Average life span will also be affected by gender, other medical conditions and the severity of dementia at the time of diagnosis.
• Dementia ranks as the fourth leading cause of death among the population aged 65 years and over.
• About half of people with moderate to severe dementia live in the community either in their own homes, or in the home of their carer. The other half live in residential facilities.

Costs

• The total financial cost of dementia in 2002 was $6.6 billion – over $40,000 pa per person with dementia; by 2051 dementia’s financial impact will total 3.3% of GDP (gross domestic product).
• Family carers provide 80% of the value of informal care without compensation.
• Loss of earnings from loss of employment and absenteeism is estimated as $355.3 million pa.
• At least $1 in every $40 in the Australian health system is spent on dementia.

Disability burden

• In 2002, over 5,000 Australians died from dementia. Females bore 62% of the overall burden of disease and the same proportion was borne by people aged over 75.
• ‘Burden of disease’ combines the impact of premature mortality and morbidity in one measure called the disability-adjusted life year (DALY). The estimated 104,900 DALYs in 2007 is projected to increase to 236,000 in 2031, a 125% increase.  Most of the increase is for those aged 85 years or more. 

Asia Pacific Statistics

Numbers

• In a population of over 3.6 billion in 2008, there are currently over 15 million people with dementia, with the number expected to be 64.6 million by 2050.
• It is expected that there will be 4.6 million new cases of dementia in 2008.

Costs

• In 2005, US$78.7 billion was spent on dementia care, equaling US$32,255 per person with dementia.

Disability burden

• The disease burden from dementia is projected to increase by over 76% over the next 25 years.

World Statistics

Numbers

• In 2008, there are currently 29.8 million people with dementia, with the number expected to be 81.1 million by 2050.
• It is estimated there will be 4.6 million new cases of dementia every year (one new case every 7 seconds). The number of people affected will double every 20 years to 81.1 million by 2040.

Costs

• The total worldwide societal cost of dementia, on the basis of a dementia population of 29.3 million persons, was estimated to be US$315.4 billion in 2005, including US$105 billion for informal care (37%).  77% of the total costs occurred in the more developed regions, with 46% of the prevalence. Informal caregiving time is based on  basic Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) (1.6 hours per day). This equals US$3506 per person with dementia.

Disability burden

• According to the Global Burden of Disease estimates for the 2003 World Health Report, dementia contributed 11.2% of years lived with disability in people aged 60 years and older; more than stroke (9.5%), musculoskeletal disorders (8.9%), cardiovascular disease (5.0%), and all forms of cancer (2.4%). The disability weight for dementia, estimated by an international and multidisciplinary expert consensus, was higher than for almost any other health condition, apart from spinal-cord injury and terminal cancer.

Printed information

  Dementia Facts & Statistics (includes references)
PDF file, 165 KB, updated March 2008


Contact Us

Alzheimer's Australia is the national peak body for people living with dementia, their families and carers and provides leadership in policy and services. To find out more, contact us or call the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500.


created: 14 March 2005
updated: 18 March 2008