By Alexandra Laskie
The number of Kororoit people living with dementia is expected to rise almost six-fold over the next 35 years, new research predicts.
Research commissioned by Alzheimer’s Australia shows 886 people were living with dementia in this state electorate as of February.
That figure is set to jump to 5699 by 2050, catapulting the electorate from having one of the lowest rates of Alzheimer’s disease to being in the state’s top 20 areas of prevalence.
The predicted rise puts Kororoit 16th out of the state’s 88 electorates and represents an annual increase of 5.6 per cent of its residents being diagnosed with premature senility.
Similarly, by 2050 Sydenham will have jumped from being the electorate with the fifth lowest rate of Alzheimer’s (690 cases in 2016), to 21st spot, with 5378 cases predicted, equating to a 679 per cent increase.
Meanwhile, Brimbank council is expected to witness a 352 per cent increase over the next 35 years, from 2569 cases to 11,623 cases.
Alzheimer’s Australia Victoria chief executive Maree McCabe said Brimbank’s projected population growth would correspond to a rise in numbers of older residents, which, in turn, increases the prevalence of dementia.
“While dementia is not a normal part of ageing, it is more common as we age,” she said.
Alzheimer’s Australia has called on the state government to tackle the lack of understanding about dementia in view of the forecasts.
“All Victorians will be impacted, either by a diagnosis, through caring for a loved one or knowing someone close to them living with dementia,” Ms McCabe said.
She said the research estimates there are 97,000 people living with dementia in Victoria, a figure that is expected to grow by almost 300 per cent by 2050.
Dementia is the second leading cause of death in Australia after heart disease.
National Dementia Helpline: 1800 100 500
