As Australia’s Population Ages, Dementia Cases are Increasing

September 13, 2024 TruthUSA

According to a new report released, dementia has become the second highest cause of death in the nation.

Recorded cases of dementia, along with deaths and prescriptions for the disease, are increasing across Australia due to an ageing population.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s latest Dementia in Australia report, issued on Sept. 13, estimates that 15 out of every 1,000 Australians are dealing with this neurodegenerative disease.

The number of prescriptions for dementia drugs has soared by 46 percent within a decade.

A total of 688,000 prescriptions for dementia medications were provided to approximately 72,400 Australians aged 30 and above in 2022–23, compared to 472,000 prescriptions dispensed in 2013–14.

There are more than 100 different diseases that can lead to dementia, with Alzheimer’s disease being a common association.

Although dementia primarily impacts the elderly, it can also affect children and younger individuals depending on the cause.

Currently, dementia is the second leading cause of death in Australia, after heart disease, with reported deaths from dementia increasing steadily from 8,500 in 2009 to 17,899 in 2022.

The AIHW suggests that enhanced reporting systems and increased dementia awareness could impact these numbers. Nevertheless, the figures for dementia-related deaths in Australia remain concerning.

The report notes that the COVID pandemic has also contributed significantly to dementia deaths, with sufferers being more susceptible to fatal outcomes from the virus.

Aged Care Demand

The findings of the report further emphasize the growing demands on the aged care system in Australia, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently unveiling a $10 billion (US$6.7 billion) aged care overhaul.

Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in July indicated that 17.1 percent of Australians were aged over 65.

The number of Australians over the age of 85 is expected to triple over the next four decades.

Aged care poses one of the greatest financial pressures, and without intervention, spending is projected to more than double as a proportion of GDP in the next 40 years.

The reforms unveiled on Sept. 13 will increase investment in in-home care support to allow elderly individuals to remain at home for longer.

This move could benefit aged care facilities by freeing up resources for dementia patients who often have to transition to monitored facilities.

In 2021–22, over 242,000 individuals resided in permanent residential aged care, and more than half (approximately 131,000 or 54 percent) of them had dementia.

The reforms, which enjoy bipartisan support from the Liberal-National Coalition, include new quality service standards, enhanced protections for whistleblowers, and the establishment of a new independent statutory complaints commissioner.

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