Dementia is likely to affect almost 450,000 Australians in 2026 and is expected to more than double in the next 40 years, new data reveals.
Dementia Australia (DA) says 446,500 Australians are currently affected by the condition with more than one million people expected to live with it by 2065.
The data also shows that an estimated 29,000 people live with young onset of it (a diagnosis for those aged 18-65 years old) which should increase to 41,000 by 2054 while an estimated 1500 children also have it.
DA chief executive officer Professor Tanya Buchanan says that the number of people developing the condition rapidly is increasing and with it now the leading cause of death for Australians, there is an immediate need to act.
“There is a critical demand for a national program to promote brain health throughout our lives as well as a pressing need to provide quality care and support services for people of all ages living with it, their families and carers,” she says.
ACTION PLAN
Prof Buchanan says they also want the federal government to fund the implementation of a 10-year national action plan that was drawn up in 2024.
“Australia is recognised internationally for its strengths in care, support and research, but the system has areas that need improvement,” she says, adding that funding the plan is “essential” for those with the condition.
Advocate Rebecca Scouller cares for her mother, Charlotte, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2017 and now lives in residential aged care.
“Dementia is likely to touch all our lives at some point in time,” Scouller says.
“The plan needs to be costed and then incorporated into the budget. We need urgent investment now.”
The organisation says it wants to see public spending in three priority areas of the plan:
- A brain health campaign to raise awareness of the condition.
- Roll out a network of care navigators to improve access to post-diagnostic support.
- Recruit and/or train workers to support those living with it.
For more details about their 2026 data, go to www.dementia.org.au/about-dementia/dementia-facts-and-figures
For information and support, contact the DA’s national helpline 24-7 on 1800 100 500 or visit dementia.org.au.
