More than a million Australians will have Alzheimer’s disease by 2050, with a $17 billion impact on the economy, according to a new report.
The health advisory company Evohealth study warned that the incidence and impact of Alzheimer’s disease in Australia was set to double over the next 25 years.
Evohealth Managing Director Renae Beardmore said the number of Australians with dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease was projected to increase from 296,000 in 2024 to 600,000 in 2050.
Ms Beardmore said, additionally, the number of Australians with early signs of the disease, known as mild cognitive impairment with Alzheimer’s disease pathology, would increase from at least 318,000 to 590,000 in the same period.
“Together, this amounts to 1.2 million Australians living with Alzheimer’s disease, at an economic cost of $17 billion in 2050,” she said.
Ms Beardmore said the report highlighted the workforce impacts of Alzheimer’s disease.
“The analysis found that in 2024, one-in-five people over the age of 60 with Alzheimer’s disease wish to continue working but are unable to do so due to delayed diagnosis and lack of interventions and support.
“This equates to 50,000 Australians, not including the wider impact on carers.
“Additionally, the report reveals that productivity losses of $3.7 billion in 2024 will far exceed the cost of residential aged care associated with Alzheimer’s disease ($2.4 billion), long considered the greatest financial cost of the memory-robbing disease.”
Ms Beardmore said the report found that the quality of life of a person with mild Alzheimer’s disease could also be improved by 25 percent if entry into aged care was delayed by 12 months through improved care and support.
“Alzheimer’s disease is not a disease of older Australians. Changes in the brain begin decades before symptoms appear. With science bringing forth new possibilities for diagnosis and treatment, we need to change the way we think about Alzheimer’s disease and embrace opportunities for early intervention.”
She said the report highlighted how blood tests were poised to revolutionise Alzheimer’s diagnosis by detecting specific biomarkers to guide earlier intervention and more targeted treatment.
“It also points to more than 100 clinical trials underway globally in Alzheimer’s disease, with new therapies already approved overseas.”
Read the full report: Diagnosis to dignity: A vision for Alzheimer’s disease in Australia
