Today marks World Alzheimer’s Day and we wanted to do a very speical blog post today about Alzheimers in Australia. Alzheimers is a disease that is the most common form of dementia among older adults, both within Australia and internationally. Alzheimers affects a critical part of the brain, one in which thought, memory, and language can be seriously affected. As a result, a person with Alzheimers can experience many impacts that can affect a person’s ability to carry out daily activities. Having short attention spans, loss of memory and even problems with speech are common issues faced by individuals with Alzheimers.

Worldwide, there are 36 million people with a form of dementia.

What Are The Statistics in Australia for Alzheimers?

There are over 321,600 Australians living with dementia, with most Australians between the age of 45-64 years old. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 96 percent of individuals who have been diagnosed or currently living with Alzheimers are over the age of 65.

Due to this, 1.2 million carers work full time to assist Australians with Alzheimers. Majority of these individuals are unpaid as they are a loved one. Individuals with Alzheimers receive a disability allowance to cover any addition costs. Families will need to cover carer costs, home modifications and therapies to help their love one adjust to living with Alzheimers.