Prevalence

An estimated 298 000 Australians had dementia in 2011, of whom 62 per cent were women, 74 per cent were aged 75 and over, and 70 per cent lived in the community. Based on projections of population ageing and growth, the number of people with dementia will reach almost 400 000 by 2020. Among Australians aged 65 and over, almost 1 in 10 (9 per cent) had dementia, and among those aged 85 and over, 3 in 1 (30 per cent) had dementia.

An estimated 23 900 Australians under the age of 65 were suffering from dementia in 2011.

(Resource: Dementia in Australia, AIHW, 2012)