Dementia has overtaken all other conditions as the leading cause of death in Australia, according to a new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
The research warns that without urgent intervention, more than one million Australians could be living with dementia within the next decade and by 2065 the figure will be even higher.
Dementia Australia’s chief executive, Tanya Buchanan, said the disease takes a profound toll not only on patients but also on families, who often face social isolation after a diagnosis.
She urged Australians to reconnect with loved ones affected by dementia, particularly during Dementia Action Week (15–21 September), to help reduce the stigma and loneliness surrounding the condition.
The report identified risk factors including obesity, physical inactivity, high blood sugar, midlife high blood pressure, smoking and kidney impairment, and called for stronger preventative health measures.
Source: 9News
