By Dr Alistair Burns - 2008-09-26
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Dr Alistair Burns, professor of old age psychiatry at the University of Manchester, said The number of people suffering dementia in Australia will more than treble in 40 years unless more is done to combat the disease.
In the UK it is estimated 1.7 Million Will Have Dementia by 2051
Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia will affect 750,000 Australian people a year by 2050.
Speaking at a symposium for Dementia Awareness Week at New South Wales Parliament House, Dr Burns said the estimate was 327 per cent higher than today's figure.
"In 2002, it cost $6.6 billion (in health care), which I guess would be a lot bigger now," he said.
"A million people are involved in caring for a family member (with dementia) and there are 1000 new diagnoses a week."
Alzheimer's, an incurable, degenerative and terminal brain disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting an estimated 26.6m people worldwide.
The symposium is aimed at promoting Alzheimer's Australia's Mind your Mind risk reduction program, designed to reduce the risk of developing dementia by promoting a brain-healthy lifestyle.
Alzheimer's Australia is a peak body that provides support and advocacy for Australians living with dementia.
The increase in the number of dementia sufferers will hit Australia like a "tsunami", said Michele Adair, general manager of services at Alzheimer's Australia.
"Try to imagine what society is going to be like in that 20 years time that we all talk about ... when there are going to be three times the people thinking about dementia," she said.
"There's not going to be a banker, a shop assistant, a nurse, a truck driver or any other member of society who has not been directly affected by dementia."
"It's an epidemic and it's coming at us like a tsunami."
Disability Services Minister Paul Lynch and Alzheimer's Australia NSW chief executive Bill Northcote will launch an updated edition of the book At Home With Dementia later today.
Mr Lynch said Alzheimer's would exact a growing social and economic toll on society.
"The loss of people's ability to contribute through work, care and volunteering will be significant."
He said the government was focused on delivering on its Dementia Action Plan to address the challenges posed by an aging population.
The plan, launched in December 2007, is aimed at improving diagnosis, assessment and care support and promoting better access to services.
Dementia Awareness Week began last Friday and ends tomorrow.
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