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Dementia is an umbrella term that describes a wide range of symptoms characterised by a progressive worsening of memory and intellect (cognitive abilities), orientation or personality. These changes are brought about by different patterns of physical and chemical changes in the brain, and the symptoms presented depend on the area of the brain that is damaged.
There are various types of dementia. The most common type of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, followed by other common types such as Vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia and Frontotemporal dementia.
Dementia is not a normal part of ageing. While the condition is more common amongst those aged 65 and above, it is also possible for a younger person to develop dementia. This is known as young-onset dementia.
Persons living with dementia eventually lose the ability to do things or perform tasks to a level that affects their daily functioning, such as working, performing daily activities, or social interaction.1 They may gradually find the following relatively challenging:
- Thinking and reasoning
- Problem-solving and making judgements
- Remembering new information or recalling recent events
- Learning new information and skills
- Recognising familiar faces and items
- Finding the right words to communicate
The Impact of Dementia on A Global Scale
According to the Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI),2 someone in the world develops dementia every 3 seconds. In 2020, it was estimated that there are over 50 million people worldwide living with dementia. This number will almost double every 20 years and is projected to reach 82 million in 2030 and 152 million in 2050.
It is predicted that developing countries, especially, will see an increase in the number of people living with dementia. Already, 60% of persons living with dementia live in low- and middle-income countries. By 2050, this is expected to rise to 71%.
Demographic ageing is a worldwide process that shows the successes of improved health care over the last century. Many are now living longer and healthier lives and so the world population has a greater proportion of older people. Japan, the country with the world’s oldest population as of 2021, will be surpassed by China and South Korea before 2050.
There are over 9.9 million new cases of dementia each year worldwide, implying one new case every 3.2 seconds.
In 2019, dementia cost economies globally US$ 1.3 trillion, of which care provided by informal care partners, such as family members and friends, attributed approximately 50% of these costs.2 The cost of dementia is predicted to more than double to US$ 2.8 trillion by 2030.2
Dementia in Singapore
According to the Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (WiSE) nationwide study spearheaded by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), 1 in 10 people aged 60 years and above has dementia, with the condition affecting 1 in 2 people aged 85 years and above. This translates into approximately 82,000 people in 2018, and more than 100,000 in the following few years. This number is expected to increase to 152,000 by 2030.4
In contrast, a second WiSE study reveals a positive shift in the prevalence of dementia among seniors aged 60 and above, which has decreased from 10% about a decade ago to 8.8% today, or one in 11 people. Additionally, while the total number of older adults living with dementia has risen from 51,934 in 2013 to 73,918 in 2023 due to population growth, the treatment gap for dementia has significantly narrowed. The percentage of seniors meeting the criteria for dementia who remain undiagnosed and untreated has declined from 70.6% in 2013 to 51.5% now, indicating that more persons living with dementia are being identified and receiving appropriate care.6
In 2017, Singapore was classified as an “aged society”. This means that at least 14% of the population are aged 65 and above. It is set to attain “super-aged” status in 2026. According to the United Nations, a country is super-aged when 21% of its population are aged 65 and older.
In Singapore, an estimated S$2.8 billion was spent in 2015 locally. This staggering amount is forecasted to almost triple by 2030.5
Additional Resources
Dementia Singapore in 60s: Episode 1 – What is Dementia? How prevalent is it?
Source: Dementia Singapore
In the first episode of Dementia Singapore in 60s, CEO Jason Foo shares some eye-opening facts and figures about dementia and breaks down the answers to these questions.
Understanding Dementia
Source: Khoo Teck Puat Hospital
This toolkit features information on the types, stages and symptoms of dementia. It also includes information on the philosophy of person-centred care, which is widely acknowledged as the standard of care for dementia today.
Forget Us Not: Building a Dementia Friendly Community
Source: Lien Foundation, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Dementia Singapore
This toolkit features tips and knowledge on how to recognise and help persons living with dementia in the community.
Tell us how we can improve?
- Your guide to understanding dementia. (2019, December 9). HealthHub. Retrieved on 24 March, 2021, from https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/679/yourguidetounderstandingdementia_pdf
- Dementia statistics. (n.d.). Alzheimer’s Disease International. Retrieved 24 March, 2021, from https://www.alzint.org/about/dementia-facts-figures/dementia-statistics/
- Subramaniam, M., Chong, S. A., Vaingankar, J. A., Abdin, E., Chua, B. Y., Chua, H. C., Eng, G. K., Heng, D., Hia, S. B., Huang, W., Jeyagurunathana, A., Kua, J., Lee, S. P., Mahendran, R., Magadi, H. Malladi, S., McCrone, P., Pang, S., Picco, L., . . . Prince, M. (2015). Prevalence of dementia in people aged 60 years and above: Results from the WiSE study. Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, 45(4), 1127–1138. doi: 10.3233/jad-142769.
- Let’s talk about vascular dementia. (n.d.). HealthHub. Retrieved September 11, 2021, from https://www.healthhub.sg/programmes/74/understanding-dementia/
- Woo, L. L., Thompson, C. L., & Magadi, H. (2017). Monetary cost of family caregiving for people with dementia in Singapore. Archives of gerontology and geriatrics, 71, 59–65. https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0167494317302029
- Institute of Mental Health. (2024). Well-being of the Singapore Elderly (WiSE) study findings: Press release. https://www.imh.com.sg/Newsroom/News-Releases/Documents/WISE%202%20Press%20Release_28Aug_IMHFINAL.pdf