The World Alzheimer’s Report 2019: Attitudes to dementia, reveals a lack of knowledge surrounding dementia, with two-thirds of the 70,000 people surveyed across 155 countries still believing the disease is a normal part of ageing rather than a neurodegenerative disorder.
Maree McCabe, Dementia Australia chief executive officer, says more needs to be done to combat current myths surrounding the condition.
“Dementia is not a normal part of ageing. It is a medical condition and disease of the brain,” says Ms McCabe.
The report finds that healthy habits around exercise, eating a balanced diet and avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can help slow the progression of dementia.
The report also forecast the number of people with dementia would more than triple by 2058, from more than 50 million to 152 million.