Dementia rates fall in Australia before the expected rise

Rates of dementia among older Australians are declining, suggesting that measures to improve the physical health of older people could also have positive cognitive effects.

However, South Australian researchers warn that the reduction is likely to be short-lived and that dementia rates are expected to increase again as the population ages.

The study of 348,311 seniors receiving home care services revealed that the prevalence of dementia increased from 26% in 2005 to 21% in 2014.

For 188,846 seniors starting long-term care, the rate of dementia increased from 50% in 2008 to 47% in 2014.

Research, the first in Australia to investigate the prevalence of dementia, was published today in the Gerontology Journals: Series A.

The lead author of the project was Dr. Stephanie Harrison, Research Fellow at the South Australian Institute of Health Research and Medicine (SAHMRI).

She said the positive results could be the result of national public health measures aimed at improving the overall health of the population.

"Research consistently shows that some steps can be taken to reduce the risk of dementia," said Dr. Harrison.

"By improving our physical health, we could also improve our cognitive health.

"Initiatives to improve factors such as smoking rates might be helpful, but we also need to consider that some risk factors for dementia, such as mid-life obesity rates, are increasing in Australia.

"It is likely that there is a combination of factors affecting the prevalence of dementia, so that there is probably still room for improvement."

Although there has been a decrease in recent years, the rates of dementia and the number of people accessing health care in the coming years are expected to increase with the aging of the population.

More than 436,000 Australians have dementia. These numbers are expected to exceed 589,000 people by 2028 and over one million by 2058.

"The findings are consistent with those of other studies reporting a decline in the prevalence of dementia in countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom," Dr. Harrison said.

"But it may be necessary to re-evaluate the current estimates because we should consider that the prevalence of dementia in Australia could change."

Dementia describes a set of symptoms caused by disorders affecting the brain. This is not a specific disease.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for about two-thirds of cases. The result is a gradual decline in cognitive abilities, often starting with memory loss.

South Australia, which has the oldest population of any state in mainland Australia, has for several years been a world leader in the emerging sector of "aging well".

The Global Center for Modern Aging in Adelaide was created last year to enable individuals, businesses, researchers and governments to work together to seize the opportunities offered by modern aging.

The center includes a living laboratory called LifeLab, a test and innovation facility that allows people 60 years of age and older to jointly design products and services with businesses in an environment as close to real life as possible.

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University of Adelaide